AP42730

Two genes linked to increased risk for eating disorders

According to //Lifespan Development,// surveys show that in adolescence, 52% of females and 28% of male diet regularly, 5% use extreme measures. Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, which is characterized by self-starvation, and bulimia nervosa, an eating disorder characterized by binge eating and purging (Lifespan Development) are an ongoing problem amongst teens. Scientists from the University of Iowa have discovered two gene mutations that are associated with increased risk of developing and eating disorder. By studying the genetics of two families severely affected by eating disorders, the study showed that the two genes interact in the same signaling pathway in the brain, and that the two mutations produce the same biological effect. The findings suggest that this might represent a new target for understanding and potentially treating eating disorders. Michael Lutter, M.D., Ph.D., UI assistant professor of psychiatry and senior author of the study says, “If you're considering two randomly discovered genes, the chance that they’ll interact is small. But, what really sealed the deal for us that the association was real was that the mutations have the same effect.” Overall, the study, suggests that mutations that decrease the activity of a transcription factor, a protein that turns on the expression of other genes, called estrogen-related receptor alpha (ESRRA) increase the risk of eating disorders.Anorexia and bulimia are fairly common, and are among the most lethal of all psychiatric diseases; about 1 in 1,000 women will die from anorexia. Lutter and his colleagues plan to study the role of these genes in mice and in cultured neurons to find out exactly what they are doing in the brain. They will also look for ways to modify the genes' activity, with the long-term goal of finding small molecules that might be developed into therapies for eating disorders (ScienceDaily).

References: University of Iowa. (2013, October 8). Two genes linked to increased risk for eating disorders. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 30, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131008122443.htm

Boyd, D., & Bee, H. (2012). Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence. //Lifespan Development// (Second custom edition for St. Johns River State College ed.,). Upper Saddie River: Prentice Hall.

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