Alternative Frameworks for Advancing the Study of Eating Disorders

• Published in: Trends in neurosciences (Regular ed.) Vol. 43; no. 12; pp. 951 - 959
• Main Authors: Stern, Sarah A., Bulik, Cynthia M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2020
• Subjects: animal models; anorexia nervosa; genomics; GWAS; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; neural circuits; neuroimaging; genomics; animal models; GWAS; anorexia nervosa; neural circuits; neuroimaging
• ISSN: 0166-2236; 1878-108X; 1878-108X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.10.001

Eating disorders are life-interrupting psychiatric conditions with high morbidity and mortality, yet the basic mechanisms underlying these conditions are understudied compared with other psychiatric disorders. In this opinion, we suggest that recent knowledge gleaned from genomic and neuroimaging investigations of eating disorders in humans presents a rich opportunity to sharpen animal models of eating disorders and to identify neural mechanisms that contribute to the risk and maintenance of these conditions. Our article reflects the state of the science, with a primary focus on anorexia nervosa (AN) and binge-eating behavior, and encourages further study of all conditions categorized under feeding and eating disorders. Eating disorders are complex disorders with a strong biological component, but are understudied by basic scientists.Improved genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and pluripotent stem cells provide the first insights into genes with a role in the etiology of anorexia nervosa (AN).Neuroimaging studies of individuals with AN point to conserved behavioral features and underlying brain regions that can be translated to animal models and neural circuit-based research.Studies of neuroimmune diseases with restrictive feeding components may also provide important biological insights into mechanisms underlying eating disorders.We identify promising avenues for researchers to pursue in the study of eating disorders that will inform tailored and improved prevention and treatment interventions.