Category: eating disorders

The largest DNA-sequencing study of anorexia nervosa has linked the eating disorder to variants in a gene coding for an enzyme that regulates cholesterol metabolism. The finding suggests that anorexia could be caused in part by a disruption in the normal processing of cholesterol, which may disrupt mood and eating behavior.

New research indicates that teens with anorexia nervosa have bigger brains than teens that do not have the eating disorder. That is according to a study that examined a group of adolescents with anorexia nervosa and a group without.

Girls with anorexia nervosa show a mild echo of the characteristics of autism, suggests new research. In particular, compared to typical girls, girls with anorexia have an above average number of autistic traits, an above average interest in systems, whilst they score below average in empathy. This profile resembles – to a lesser degree – that seen in people with autism.

Bipolar disorder evolves differently in patients who also binge eat, a study has found.

Is binge eating a tell-tale sign of suicidal thoughts? According to a new study of African American girls, those who experience depressive and anxious symptoms are often dissatisfied with their bodies and more likely to display binge eating behaviors. These behaviors put them at higher risk for turning their emotions inward, in other words, displaying internalizing symptoms such as suicide.

A study made with 191 patients reveal that symptoms of hyperactivity due to the deficit of attention and hyperactivity disorder are associated with more impulsivity and more severity, and probably a worse prognosis in patients with eating disorders.