Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31376112›Full record

ArticleEating and weight disorders : EWD2020

Altered habenula to locus coeruleus functional connectivity in past anorexia nervosa suggests correlation with suicidality: a pilot study.

Kristin E Wills, Savannah N Gosnell, Kaylah N Curtis, Kenia Velasquez, J Christopher Fowler, Ramiro Salas

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Eating and weight disorders : EWD, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 18% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Difference of Resting State Functional Connectivity between Depressive Patients with and without Clinically Significant Insomnia.Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2025
    Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Editorial: The Habenula and Its Role in Neuropsychiatric Symptoms.Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience · 2022
    Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Kristin E WillsMenninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Savannah N GosnellMenninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Kaylah N CurtisMenninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Kenia VelasquezMenninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
J Christopher FowlerMenninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Ramiro SalasMenninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. rsalas@bcm.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1105-566X
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center · USBaylor College of Medicine · USIllinois Institute of Technology · US

Funding

Age, Ethnicity, and the Chronically Ill UnisuredR01AG019295 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO · PI BECKER, GAY · 2001 to 2004
$1.7M
The BCM Short-Term Research Education Program (BCM STREP)R25HL108853 · NHLBI · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI Aladin M Boriek, Fred A Pereira · 2011 to 2026
$1.4M
Role of Habenula in Tobacco AddictionK01DA026539 · NIDA · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI SALAS, RAMIRO · 2010 to 2013
$516k
Functional Imaging of the Habenula in Tobacco SmokersR03DA029167 · NIDA · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI SALAS, RAMIRO · 2011 to 2011
$230k
Multimodal Imaging of Reward Brain Centers in Tobacco Smoking VeteransI01CX000994 · VA · MICHAEL E DEBAKEY VA MEDICAL CENTER · PI SALAS, RAMIRO · 2014 to 2016
–
A Virtual World/Neurofeedback Real Time Functional MRI Approach to PTSD TreatmentI21RX002588 · VA · MICHAEL E DEBAKEY VA MEDICAL CENTER · PI SALAS, RAMIRO · 2018 to 2020
–
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention SRG-2-125-14CSRD VA I01 CX000994McNair Medical Institute MIND-MBNational Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression 19295NHLBI NIH HHS 2R25HL108853NHLBI NIH HHS R25 HL108853NIDA NIH HHS DA026539NIDA NIH HHS DA09167NIDA NIH HHS K01 DA026539NIDA NIH HHS R03 DA029167RRD VA I21 RX002588Veteran Health Administration VHA5I01CX000994
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeDespite anorexia nervosa having the highest mortality rate of mental illnesses, little is known regarding the brain mechanisms involved. Given that lack of interest for food in anorexic patients is related to alterations in the reward system, we tested the hypothesis that patients with past anorexia nervosa (pAN) have altered resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) between the habenula (a major component of the reward system) and its targets.

methodsRSFC between the habenula and major targets (locus coeruleus, median and dorsal raphe nuclei, substantia nigra, and ventral tegmental area) was studied in 14 psychiatric inpatients with pAN and 14 psychiatric inpatient controls (PC, never-anorexic patients in same clinic, matched for comorbidities). Next, we tested possible correlations between RSFC and suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety as determined by self-report questionnaires.

resultsLeft habenula/locus coeruleus RSFC was lower in pAN patients compared to PC. The left habenula/locus coeruleus RSFC was positively correlated with suicidal ideation (past 2 months) in pAN patients, but not in controls.

conclusionspAN patients showed long lasting alterations in habenular connectivity. This may have clinical implications, possibly including future evaluation of the habenula as a therapeutic target and the need to carefully monitor suicidality in pAN patients. NO LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Basic science.

Indexed as

Anorexia NervosaHabenulaSuicideHumansLocus CoeruleusMagnetic Resonance ImagingPilot ProjectsAnorexia nervosaHabenulaResting state functional connectivityReward circuitrySuicide

Identifiers

PMID31376112
PMCPMC6995421
OpenAlexW2965808454

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.