It is a pencil and paper task whereby the participant is asked to make a direct copy of a complex figure. The Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (Rey Figure, ) is a popular neuropsychological measure of central coherence used in the ED and wider psychiatric field. It is therefore of upmost importance that future studies employ robust neuropsychological tests and valid scoring methods to allow for accurate assessment of central coherence in ED. Ī current methodological problem in the field of neuropsychology of ED is the large variability in the number of tests used to measure central coherence together with differences in scoring methods, which may be contributing to conflicting results between studies. Though poor global processing does not seem to be specific to the EDs and can be seen as a common mechanism across other psychiatric disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Schizophrenia and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, it does appear to be present most consistently in ED, and certainly the pattern of heritability of these traits seems stronger. Īlthough there is less research, studies with individuals with Bulimia Nervosa (BN) have also demonstrated poor global processing in comparison to healthy controls (HCs) suggesting that this processing style is a trans-diagnostic characteristic amongst EDs.
Furthermore, this processing style seems to have a familial component, as unaffected relatives of those with AN, such as mothers and sisters, also demonstrate poor global processing. This profile of weak central coherence is also present once weight has been restored and in children and adolescents, albeit in an attenuated form. There is a wealth of research demonstrating that adults with AN have poor global processing (for a systematic reviews see (Lang et al., 2014 Lopez et al., 2008)), often with superior detail focused processing. Research has highlighted that individuals with eating disorders (ED) may not process information in the same hierarchical fashion described above. Importantly, this theory suggests that global and local processing are not independent, and interact to provide the whole unit.
Following gestalt theory, Navon’s global precedence hypothesis theorised that information processing follows a hierarchical network, from global structures to more local structures, whereby global elements take precedence. It also posits that the structured whole is different from the sum of the configural parts. Historically, central coherence is grounded in Gestalt psychology, which hypothesises that integrated coherent structures form the basis of processing and perception. Ĭentral coherence is one such area of interest in the neuropsychological study of eating disorders (ED). This is now thought to be a shared characteristic (to varying degrees) across eating disorder sub-types, and a likely contributor to their pathogenesis. Research conducted with individuals with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) has highlighted the presence of an inefficient cognitive processing style.
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