July 10, 2009 Eating disorders are frequently seen as
psychological or societal diseases, but do they have an
underlying biological cause? A new study shows that the levels
of a brain protein differ between healthy and anorexic women.
Anorexia is a serious and occasionally fatal eating disorder
most commonly affecting women. Scientists do not yet understand
the physical causes of anorexia, though some studies suggest a
link to low levels of a brain protein called BDNF. Now, a study
recommended by Cynthia Bulik, a member of Faculty of 1000
Medicine and leading expert in the field of psychiatry and
eating disorders, shows that BDNF levels are higher in women who
have recovered from anorexia. This suggests that low BDNF levels
may be reversible. Researchers at Chiba University in Japan
found that anorexic women had lower levels of BDNF in their
blood than healthy women or those who had recovered from
anorexia. Women with low BDNF also had the lowest self-image,
suffered from anxiety and depression, and performed