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Scientists report finding eight new genetic markers for the eating disorder anorexia nervosa in a study published in Nature Genetics today (July 15). By analyzing the genomes of almost 17,000 patients—the largest genome-wide study of anorexia nervosa yet conducted—the researchers added to mounting evidence that the condition has both psychiatric and metabolic origins.
Anorexia nervosa, characterized by restrictive eating, unhealthy weight loss, distorted body image and fear of weight gain, claims more lives than any other psychiatric disorder. The condition affects up to 2 percent of women and 0.3 percent of men worldwide. Due to its dual effect on the body and mind, psychiatrists have struggled to define the disorder and treat its symptoms.
“Now, we know it's a complex mixture of aspects from the body and the mind that interact and cause this complex disorder,” says coauthor Janet Treasure, a psychiatrist at King's College London, ...
