Binge Eating Disorder and Obesity : Functional MRI Study

The aim of this functional neuroimaging study is to analyze brain responses to visual food cues in obese (body mass index > 97th percentile) adolescents with BED (according to the criteria Marcus and Kalarchian) compared with healthy control adolescents in two situations : hunger et satiety.

Fifteen obese adolescents (12/16 years) with BED and fifteen healthy control adolescents will be enrolled in the study protocol. Participants will be instructed not to eat food for at least 6 hours prior to the first imaging session. After the initial set of functional and anatomic scans, participants will be fed a standard calorie meal. Approximately 1 hour later, the experiment will be repeated while participants are in a satiated condition. The cortical fMRI activation will be measured during the following four experimental visual conditions : high calory food, low calory food, disgust and neutral presented in block design.

First-level and second-level differences in neural activation assessed during functional MRI in the different conditions will then be analyzed.

Inclusion criteria

• Non specific inclusion criteria

• Age limits ≥ 12 et < 16 years
• Collection of the informed consent. For the minor patients, signature of parents
• Affiliation or recipient with the mode of social security.
• No associated evolutionary pathologies
• Specific inclusion criteria for the patients

• Existence of a current food disorder of the conducts of type binge eating disorder according to the criteria Marcus and Kalarchian
• Diagnosis of obesity defined by a body mass index > 97th percentile
• Severity criteria defined by: Evolution of the obesity and the BED for at least 5 years AND Not answer to a dietary, pharmacological, psychotherapeutic care during at least 6 months
• Specific inclusion criteria for the volunteers

• Absence of a current food disorder of the conducts of type binge eating disorder according to the criteria Marcus and Kalarchian
• Absence of antecedent of neurological disorder
• an actual body mass index < 90th percentile

Exclusion criteria

• IRM contraindication
• Pacemaker
• Port(Bearing) of surgical clips in the cervico-cephalic region or implanted medical surgical material(equipment) susceptible to mobilize under the influence of magnetic gradients
• Intraocular foreign body
• Metalic foreign body
• claustrophobia
• The existence of possible psychiatric histories will be individually estimated
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Loss of liberty by court or administrative order