Can anorexia be predicted?

I think we've all asked this question before: can anorexia be predicted?

Several researchers are beginning to look into this more thoroughly. This week, new research on the predictability of anorexia through subtle differences in brain development in children will be revealed at the Institute of London, according to UK paper, The Guardian.

Researchers tested more than 200 people in the UK, US, and Norway who had anorexia. The majority were girls between the ages of 12 and 25, currently receiving treatment.

Through in-depth neuropsychological testing, " they found that about 70% of the patients had suffered damage to their neurotransmitters, which help brain cells communicate with each other, had undergone subtle changes in the structure of their brains, or both."

The researchers go on to say that these results are random and not based on other factors such as the environmental chemicals or poor maternal diet. They also believe that "Imperfect wiring in the brain's insular cortex that may lead to dyslexia, ADHD or depression in other children produces what he calls "an underlying vulnerability" among some young people that makes them more likely to develop anorexia."

The significance of this study is that it can give better understanding to eating disorders as well as to possibly pave a new path for drug treatment, an area of research which has currently been unsuccessful for treating eating disorders. This also takes some of the blame off of parents for causing their child's eating disorder.

Another interesting point made in this study is the implications of the insular cortex. Research has already shown that the insular cortex is involved in a variety of neuropsychiatric illnesses. The insular cortex was also implicated in a study looking at a sense of taste among women with anorexia. There, researchers found that the women who had recovered from anorexia showed differences in processing taste, especially in the feeling of pleasantness/reward of foods, compared to normal controls who never had anorexia.

Stay tuned as this is some interesting research.

Note--I'm hoping the researchers will go more into detail about their "neuropsychological" testing. If more information is presented, I'll update the post as needed.

deCODEme

I was watching part of the Martha Stewart show last week and caught an interesting segment on personalized medicine. She featured Kari Stefansson, MD, PhD, CEO and co-founder of deCODEme, a company in Iceland which detects risk factors for certain illnesses through your DNA. Their idea behind the genetic testing is to provide information to individuals for the ability to make preventative decisions about their health for the future.

The complete scan includes 35 illnesses covering various cancers, heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, restless leg syndrome, nicotine dependence, glaucoma, psoriasis, and others. The company says it is different from its competitors, because it gives better accuracy and information on ancestry. Of course, this testing is only capable if you have about $1,000 lying around.

This made me think about genetics and eating disorders. Hypothetically, (we all know how I love to ask these questions) if there was a specific "anorexia," "bulimia," or "beinge eating disorder" gene, would you have gotten tested?

Another question I thought about was from a statement Stefansson said. His thoughts were that within 5-10 years, every child would have this type of testing--that it would be a standard thing in infant care. If this were the case (and I doubt it could actually get to the point of being "standard" as some people would be opposed to it), would you get your child tested for an eating disorder gene or any of the illnesses they cover?

*Note: My own belief is that any eating disorder is not solely biological nor cultural, but a combination of both. The questions asked are just for hypothetical questions and to get discussion going. ;-)

Which genes drive metabolism?

Reuters reported an interesting article a few days ago about researchers finding 4 genes that drive metabolism. The four genes FADS1, LIPC, SCAD and MCAD affect the metabolism by determining the rate in which individuals burn up food. These genetic variations could lead to personalized treatment for those who have susceptibility to obesity or coronary artery disease which have genetic components.

So this made me wonder. If you knew you had these genes and that your body would never be the "thin" (in your terms) ideal that you wanted, would you continue to pursue your efforts in trying to obtain it? Would it actually give you a sense of peace, knowing that you didn't have control over what your body did or rather would it make you feel worse, like your body was betraying you by having these certain genes?

BDNF and onset of obesity

In this week's New England Journal of Medicine, there is an interesting study looking at the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its relation to obesity. BDNF is a protein encoded by the BDNF gene. BDNF's role in the brain is to help with learning, higher thinking, and memory, especially long-term memory. Studies have looked at the role of BDNF in energy homeostasis in animals but never in humans.

This study looked at a subset group of individuals with WAGR syndrome, a rare genetic disorder which puts people at risk for eye disorders (Aniridia), certain types of cancers (Wilms tumor based in the kidney), genitourinary anomalies, and mental retardation. In normal people, there are two copies for the BDNF gene, however, those with WAGR syndrome have a deletion in one of the copies, therefore having a lower BDNF. The results showed that all of them with this deletion had onset childhood obesity by age ten and had a strong tendency towards overeating.

The importance of this study is not only looking at genetics but also the role of BDNF on obesity and appetite control. Also to note, BDNF may be indirectly controlled by leptin.

Abstract

FYI: There is a prospective article in this week's New England Journal of Medicine that may be useful to some readers who are interested in dispelling the myth that obesity is only based on lifestyle choices. The title of the article is "The power of the extreme in elucidating obesity" by Philippe Froguel and Alexandra Blakemore. I just read the first 100 words, and it sounds like an interesting article.

Genetics and eating disorders

I came across this article today in the Toronto Star, a Canadian paper about eating disorders and genetics. Although this area of research has become more known and accepted, I think it's still important to emphasize, especially when socio-cultural headlines dominate the media. This article gives a nice outline into how the studies evolved and what researchers are looking for today.

This spring, a large National Institutes of Mental Health sponsored study will wrap up. This specific gene study analyzes samples of DNA from families who have two or more members with anorexia. I'm interested to see the outcomes of this study as it could shed more light into the role genetics play in eating disorders and its development.