Eating Disorder Recovery and Genetics

It is common knowledge that genetics plays a major role in the development of eating disorders. Years of research reveals a hereditary component to anorexia and bulimia. The surprising news is that the same genetic predisposition also holds the key to eating disorder recovery.

A study conducted by the University of California San Diego and the Scripps Translational Science Institute highlights the ways in which varying genetic traits can contribute to the success of eating disorder treatment. Over the course of the study, researchers followed over a thousand subjects suffering from anorexia and bulimia. After surveying participants on their health backgrounds, researchers looked at statistically significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which consist of variations in the DNA sequence from one person to the next. Researchers learned that the ten most prominent and significant SNPs were found in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) genes. As the primary inhibitory neutotransmitter in the brain, GABA plays a key role in the regulation of anxiety, a symptom commonly found in those with anorexia and bulimia.

Researchers also discovered a strong genetic correlation to eating disorder recovery in an SNP on chromosome 4 of the GABRGI gene. Interestingly, chromosome 4 plays a role in several other medical conditions, including leukemia, muscular dystrophy, Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome and multiple myeloma.

The findings show that certain genetic traits make it much harder for those with anorexia and bulimia to find success in an eating disorder treatment program. This may explain why some people with anorexia and bulimia are so quick to recover, while others may struggle for decades without seeing lasting eating disorder recovery.

The study was led by Cinnamon Bloss, PhD . Bloss hopes that the findings will help to improve practices in eating disorder treatment programs. She feels that current treatment models do not focus enough on the specific needs of the individual. "Biology and genetics are highly relevant in terms of cause and can also play a role in how people respond to treatment. Understanding the genetics behind these conditions is important, because it could eventually help us tailor treatment based on the person's genetic makeup, with the goal of more personalized and effective treatments."

Walter H. Kaye, MD, director of the University of California San Diego eating disorder treatment and research program, agrees with Bloss. "These variations suggest genetic predictors for patients who may be particularly susceptible to eating disorders and whose illnesses are most difficult to treat effectively."