Nicolas Leenaerts, MD, PhD

Nicolas Leenaerts, MD, PhD

Psychiatry Resident | Researcher

Sitemap

A list of all the posts and pages found on the site. For you robots out there is an XML version available for digesting as well.

Pages

Posts

Het zijn niet ‘die mensen’, maar ‘onze mensen’: Een kritische factcheck van twee uitspraken van Bart De Wever omtrent middelengebruik.

6 minute read

Published:

Je ligt ’s avonds rustig in de zetel en je kijkt naar Terzake. Kort daarna word je wat onrustig en kijk je met een ontredderende blik voor je uit. Verbijsterd vraag je je af of de dingen die hier gezegd worden wel degelijk kloppen. Nadien besluit je om in je pen te kruipen. De aanleiding hiervoor is de reportage waarin Antwerps burgemeester Bart De Wever (N-VA) reageert op de problemen in de zorg voor Antwerpenaren met een verslavingsgevoeligheid.

Waarom afglijden enkel in de speeltuin thuishoort

4 minute read

Published:

Toen ik in de gevangenis voor de eerste keer mijn collega’s hoorde vertellen dat een gevange aan het ‘afglijden’ was, werd ik overmand door verbazing. Seconden lang vroeg ik mij af waar die glijbaan stond en of er meer dan één gevange van afgleed. Tot mijn grote spijt besefte ik snel dat er geen speeltuin in de gevangenis was, maar dat mijn collega’s hun bezorgdheid over de paranoïde wanen van een gevange aan het uiten waren.

portfolio

Nicolas Leenaerts Scripts

Published:

Github repository containing scripts that were developed to analyze EMA/ESM, fMRI, and PET data.

NLML

Published:

Github repository containing scripts that make performing methodologically correct machine learning analyses easier.

press

publications

How COVID-19 lockdown measures could impact patients with bulimia nervosa: Exploratory results from an ongoing experience sampling method study

Published in Eating Behaviors, 2021

Paper on the impact of the lockdown measures in Belgium on patients with bulimia nervosa

Recommended citation: Leenaerts, N., Vaessen, T., Ceccarini, J., & Vrieze, E. (2021). How COVID-19 lockdown measures could impact patients with bulimia nervosa: Exploratory results from an ongoing experience sampling method study. Eating behaviors, 41, 101505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2021.101505 http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/How_COVID_19.pdf

Disentangling the symptoms of schizophrenia: Network analysis in acute phase patients and in patients with predominant negative symptoms

Published in European Psychiatry, 2021

A network analysis of PANNS-items in patients with schizophrenia.

Recommended citation: Demyttenaere, K., Leenaerts, N., Acsai, K., Sebe, B., Laszlovszky, I., Barabássy, Á., Fonticoli, L., Szatmári, B., Earley, W., Németh, G., & Correll, C. U. (2021). Disentangling the symptoms of schizophrenia: Network analysis in acute phase patients and in patients with predominant negative symptoms. European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists, 65(1), e18. https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.2241 http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/Network_Schizophrenia.pdf

The impact of COVID-19-related smell and taste disorders on a patient with bulimia nervosa: a case report

Published in Neurocase, 2022

Case report of how losing smell and taste impacts the triggers for binge eating in a patient with bulimia nervosa

Recommended citation: Leenaerts, N., Ceccarini, J., Sunaert, S., & Vrieze, E. (2022). The impact of COVID-19-related smell and taste disorders on a patient with bulimia nervosa: a case report. Neurocase, 28(1), 72–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/13554794.2021.2024859 http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/COVID_Smell.pdf

The neurobiological reward system and binge eating: A critical systematic review of neuroimaging studies

Published in International Journal Of Eating Disorders, 2022

Systematic review of papers studying the neurobiological reward system in binge eating. A search was conducted of articles published until March 31, 2022. Neuroimaging studies were eligible if they wanted to study the reward system and included a group of individuals who binge eat together with a comparator group. Their results were summarized in a narrative synthesis.

Recommended citation: Leenaerts, N., Jongen, D., Ceccarini, J., Van Oudenhove, L., & Vrieze, E. (2022). The neurobiological reward system and binge eating: A critical systematic review of neuroimaging studies. The International journal of eating disorders, 55(11), 1421–1458. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23776 http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/Sys_Review_Neurobiological_Binge.pdf

Cerebral glucose changes after chemotherapy and their relation to long-term cognitive complaints and fatigue

Published in Frontiers in Oncology, 2022

Paper investigating the short-term cerebral metabolic effects of intravenous chemotherapy and their association with long-term fatigue/cognitive complaints

Recommended citation: Schroyen, G., Schramm, G., Van Weehaeghe, D., Leenaerts, N., Vande Casteele, T., Blommaert, J., Koole, M., Smeets, A., Van Laere, K., Sunaert, S., & Deprez, S. (2022). Cerebral glucose changes after chemotherapy and their relation to long-term cognitive complaints and fatigue. Frontiers in oncology, 12, 1021615. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.1021615 http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/Glucose_Chemo.pdf

The impact of mindfulness on cancer-related cognitive impairment in breast cancer survivors with cognitive complaints

Published in Cancer, 2023

In this study, the potential of a mindfulness-based intervention to reduce cancer-related cognitive impairment in breast cancer survivors, compared with physical training and a wait list control group, was investigated.

Recommended citation: Melis, M., Schroyen, G., Leenaerts, N., Smeets, A., Sunaert, S., Van der Gucht, K., & Deprez, S. (2023). The impact of mindfulness on cancer-related cognitive impairment in breast cancer survivors with cognitive complaints. Cancer, 129(7), 1105–1116. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.34640 http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/Mindfulness_Cancer_Cognitive.pdf

How negative affect does and does not lead to binge eating-The importance of craving and negative urgency in bulimia nervosa

Published in Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science, 2023

This study explores the relations between negative affect, craving, rash action, and binge eating in daily life and whether craving and rash action mediate the relationship between negative affect and binge eating.

Recommended citation: Leenaerts, N., Vaessen, T., Sunaert, S., Ceccarini, J., & Vrieze, E. (2023). How negative affect does and does not lead to binge eating-The importance of craving and negative urgency in bulimia nervosa. Journal of psychopathology and clinical science, 132(5), 621–633. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000830 http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/How_negative_affect_does_and_d.pdf

The Impact of Mindfulness on Functional Brain Connectivity and Peripheral Inflammation in Breast Cancer Survivors with Cognitive Complaints

Published in Cancers, 2023

In this study, we investigated the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on brain function and inflammatory profiles in breast cancer survivors with cancer-related cognitive impairment.

Recommended citation: Melis, M., Schroyen, G., Blommaert, J., Leenaerts, N., Smeets, A., Van Der Gucht, K., Sunaert, S., & Deprez, S. (2023). The Impact of Mindfulness on Functional Brain Connectivity and Peripheral Inflammation in Breast Cancer Survivors with Cognitive Complaints. Cancers, 15(14), 3632. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15143632 http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/Mindfulness_Cancer_FCONN.pdf

Neuronal activity and reward processing in relation to binge eating

Published in Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 2023

Narrative review on how findings concerning the neurobiological reward system in binge eating are related to changes in reward processing.

Recommended citation: Vrieze, E., & Leenaerts, N. (2023). Neuronal activity and reward processing in relation to binge eating. Current opinion in psychiatry, 36(6), 443–448. https://doi.org/10.1097/YCO.0000000000000895 http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/Review_Reward_Processing.pdf

Changes in leukoencephalopathy and serum neurofilament after (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer

Published in Translational Oncology, 2023

In this paper, we investigated leukoencephalopathy before and after chemotherapy and its association with a serum neuroaxonal damage marker.

Recommended citation: Schroyen, G., Sleurs, C., Ottenbourgs, T., Leenaerts, N., Nevelsteen, I., Melis, M., Smeets, A., Deprez, S., & Sunaert, S. (2023). Changes in leukoencephalopathy and serum neurofilament after (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Translational oncology, 37, 101769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101769 http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/Leuko_Breast.pdf

Person-specific and pooled prediction models for binge eating, alcohol use and binge drinking in bulimia nervosa and alcohol use disorder

Published in Psychological Medicine, 2024

Paper evaluating person-specific and pooled prediction models for binge eating, alcohol use, and binge drinking in daily life, and identifies the most important predictors

Recommended citation: Leenaerts, N., Soyster, P., Ceccarini, J., Sunaert, S., Fisher, A., & Vrieze, E. (2024). Person-specific and pooled prediction models for binge eating, alcohol use and binge drinking in bulimia nervosa and alcohol use disorder. Psychological Medicine, 1–16. doi:10.1017/S0033291724000862 http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/person-specific-and-pooled-prediction-models-for-binge-eating-alcohol-use-and-binge-drinking-in-bulimia-nervosa-and-alcohol-use-disorder.pdf

The relation between stress-induced dopamine release in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, fronto-striatal functional connectivity, and negative urgency: A multimodal investigation using [18F]Fallypride PET, MRI and experience sampling

Published in Behavioural Brain Research, 2024

This study investigates the relation between stress-induced DA release in the vmPFC, fronto-striatal connectivity, and NU in daily life. Its result suggest that stress can differentially impact FC between the vmPFC and striatum, leading to a lower FC with the dorsal striatum and a higher FC with the contralateral ventral striatum. Furthermore, individuals with a higher FC between the vmPFC and dorsal striatum displayed more NU in daily life. Contrary to our hypotheses, individuals with a higher stress-induced DA release in the vmPFC also had a higher stress-induced change in fronto-striatal FC and displayed more NU in daily life.

Recommended citation: Leenaerts, N., Ceccarini, J., Sunaert, S., & Vrieze, E. (2024). The relation between stress-induced dopamine release in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, fronto-striatal functional connectivity, and negative urgency: A multimodal investigation using [18F]Fallypride PET, MRI and experience sampling. Behavioural brain research, 115138. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115138 http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/BBR_PET.pdf

The relation between visual functions, functional vision, and bimanual function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy

Published in Research in Developmental Disabilities, 2024

Paper investigating the relation between visual functions, functional vision, and bimanual function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (uCP)

Recommended citation: Crotti, M., Ortibus, E., Ben Itzhak, N., Kleeren, L., Decraene, L., Leenaerts, N., Feys, H., & Mailleux, L. (2024). The relation between visual functions, functional vision, and bimanual function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy. Research in developmental disabilities, 152, 104792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104792 http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/visual_functions_palsy.pdf

Affective dynamics surrounding craving, non-heavy alcohol use and binge drinking in female patients with alcohol use disorder and controls: An experience sampling method study

Published in Addiction, 2024

Study exploring the dynamics of within-person negative and positive affect surrounding craving, non-heavy alcohol use and binge drinking in women with alcohol use disorder and female controls.

Recommended citation: Leenaerts N, Vaessen T, Sunaert S, Ceccarini J, Vrieze E. Affective dynamics surrounding craving, non-heavy alcohol use and binge drinking in female patients with alcohol use disorder and controls: An experience sampling method study. Addiction. 2025 Jan;120(1):61-76. doi: 10.1111/add.16682. Epub 2024 Oct 6. PMID: 39370555. http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/Affective_Dynamics.pdf

Applying machine learning to ecological momentary assessment data to identify predictors of loss-of-control eating and overeating severity in adolescents: A preliminary investigation.

Published in Appetite, 2025

Study applying machine learning to simultaneously evaluate multiple possible predictors of LOC-eating and overeating severity in pooled and person-specific models.

Recommended citation: Hagan K, Leenaerts N, Walsh BT, Ranzenhofer L. Applying machine learning to ecological momentary assessment data to identify predictors of loss-of-control eating and overeating severity in adolescents: A preliminary investigation. Appetite. 2025 Mar 1;207:107900. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2025.107900. Epub 2025 Feb 6. PMID: 39922228; PMCID: PMC11884998. http://nicolasleenaerts.github.io/files/machine_learning_overeating.pdf

talks

Falling Walls Lab 2021

Published:

A brief presentation on my PhD project for the Falling Walls Lab competition in 2021.

PhD Defence

Published:

Defence of my PhD titled ‘Spinning Out Of Control: How Stress and Negative Affect Lead to Binge Behavior in Bulimia Nervosa and Alcohol Use Disorder.’

teaching

Teaching experience 1

Undergraduate course, University 1, Department, 2014

This is a description of a teaching experience. You can use markdown like any other post.

Teaching experience 2

Workshop, University 1, Department, 2015

This is a description of a teaching experience. You can use markdown like any other post.