Despite what we have believed for so long, anorexia is not primarily a psychiatric illness. Answers to Anorexia describes cutting-edge research on brain function and nutritional deficiencies in anorexia. An individual’s vulnerability to anorexia is determined by many genetic, biological, psychological, and cultural factors.
Recently, academic research has begun to demonstrate a genetic, biologically based contribution to anorexia. In an article published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, a well-respected physician in the field of eating disorders, Dr. Walter Kaye, described the struggle of anorexia and its impact on families:
…many families get burned out during the seemingly endless struggles during the ill state. To prevent families from giving up, it is important to explain to them that many individuals with eating disorders do get better, but only after many years. Unfortunately, a subgroup of patients with eating disorders have a persistent chronic course and high mortality. Such findings raise the question of whether physiological factors contribute to outcome.
A new understanding of anorexia — seeing anorexia as the result of starvation — is beginning to draw support among researchers around the world. Cecilia Bergh, PhD and Per Sodersten, PhD at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm have both written extensively on this subject. In addition to their publication efforts, Bergh and Sodersten direct a treatment program founded on the belief that the symptoms of anorexia are a consequence of starvation rather than a mental disorder. Furthermore, a 2003 article by Shan Guisinger, PhD in Psychological Review concluded that psychological treatment for anorexia “has had too little to offer” and concurs that the symptoms of anorexia are biological responses to low body weight.
Research suggests that until now, medicine has confused the obvious effects of anorexia with its causes, specifically:
- Self-Starvation – Produces the symptoms we associate with anorexia such as depression, obsessive-compulsive behavior, anxiety, and delusional thinking.
- Malnourishment and Nutritional Deficiencies – The presence of deficiencies such as zinc, as well as vitamins B1, B3, and C, and omega-3 fatty acids. Many patients with anorexia have recovered after their nutritional deficiencies alone were corrected.
What is clear to the medical and scientific community is that anorexia nervosa affects every organ system in the body, including the brain and the immune system.
New studies have shown that brain changes occur in patients with anorexia. A study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders found a 75% reduction in blood flow to key areas of the brain in patients with anorexia. The London-based research team found reduced blood flow to the temporal lobe and nearby areas which are associated with emotion, appetite regulation, memory, motivation, and perception.
There are also some scientists who believe anorexia nervosa is an autoimmune disorder. There is growing research showing that those with anorexia possess antibodies against the proteins that control appetite and stress responses. A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences found that three-quarters of patients with eating disorders, in particular anorexia, have antibodies against peptides in the brain that regulate emotion and appetite. There appears to be a correlation between the level of these antibodies and the severity of the disease; higher concentrations coincide with more severe forms of anorexia nervosa.