Peripheral Biomarkers of Anorexia Nervosa: A Meta-Analysis.

The pathogenesis of anorexia nervosa (AN) has been hypothesized to involve several biological systems. However, reliable biomarkers for AN have yet to be established. This study was aimed to identify statistically significant and clinically meaningful peripheral biomarkers associated with AN. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify studies published in English from inception until 30 June 2022. We conducted two-level random-effects meta-analyses to examine the difference between AN and comparison groups across 52 distinct biomarkers and found that acylated ghrelin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks (CTX), cholesterol, cortisol, des-acyl ghrelin, ghrelin, growth hormone (GH), obestatin, and soluble leptin receptor levels were significantly higher in cases of AN compared with those in non-AN controls. Conversely, C-reactive protein (CRP), CD3 positive, CD8, creatinine, estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine, glucose, insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), leptin, luteinizing hormone, lymphocyte, and prolactin levels were significantly lower in AN compared with those in non-AN controls. Our findings indicate that peripheral biomarkers may be linked to the pathophysiology of AN, such as processes of adaptation to starvation. Scientific investigation into peripheral biomarkers may ultimately yield breakthroughs in personalized clinical care for AN.

clifford B.4.1 , an allele of CG1603 , causes tissue overgrowth in the Drosophila melanogaster eye.

Mutant B.4.1 , generated via EMS mutagenesis in Drosophila melanogaster , was studied by undergraduate students participating in the Fly-CURE. After inducing genetically mosaic tissue in the adult eye, B.4.1 mutant tissue displays a robust increase in cell division and a rough appearance. Complementation mapping and sequence analysis identified a nonsense mutation in the gene CG1603 , which we named clifford ( cliff ) due to observed increases in red-pigmented mutant tissue compared to controls. cliff encodes a zinc finger-containing protein implicated in transcriptional control. RNAi knockdown of cliff similarly results in rough eyes, confirming a role for Cliff in eye development.

Eating disorder measures in a sample of military veterans: A focus on gender, age, and race/ethnicity.

Early detection of eating disorders (EDs) is crucial for both prevention and treatment; however, few ED measures have been validated among older adults, men, and racially/ethnically diverse individuals, who may have varying symptom presentations. We examined the psychometric quality of three self-report ED measures within a diverse sample of U.S. military veterans, a population that may have elevated rates of EDs. Participants (N = 1,187) completed the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale-5 (EDDS-5), the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), the SCOFF (Sick, Control, One, Fat, and Food) questionnaire, and measures of associated mental health symptoms. We examined proportions of probable EDs and reliability estimates, associations among ED measures, and their relationship with mental health measures for the sample as a whole and based on age, gender, and race/ethnicity. Proportions of probable EDs ranged from 9.9% to 27.7% and were comparable for White, Black, and Latinx participants. Participants aged 40-49 had significantly higher proportions of EDs compared to other age groups, whereas participants aged ≥60 had significantly lower proportions of EDs. Participants with obesity had significantly higher proportions of probable EDs compared to participants with healthy weight or overweight. There was fair to moderate agreement between the ED measures, with varying evidence for psychometric quality across demographic subsamples. Overall, the EDDS-5 performed best in this sample and yielded estimates of probable EDs consistent with expectations. These data add to the growing body of literature on the assessment of EDs and provide insight into measures that may be most useful in research and intervention efforts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The impact of comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder on eating disorder treatment outcomes: Investigating the unified treatment model.

PURPOSE: Many women with eating disorders (EDs) have comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, there have been few studies on how comorbid PTSD may impact ED treatment outcomes. METHOD: Participants were 2,809 patients from residential ED treatment facilities who were treated using the Unified Treatment Model (UTM). We investigated whether PTSD diagnosis at admission was associated with changes in Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) scores, binge eating, self-induced vomiting, and restriction, across three time points, as well as clinically significant improvement and treatment drop-out. RESULTS: Using latent growth models, with time modeled as a second-order polynomial, we found that EDE-Q scores and behavioral symptoms decreased from admission to discharge, but increased from discharge to 6-month follow-up. PTSD diagnosis was associated with higher baseline EDE-Q scores and restriction, and lower binge-eating frequency. PTSD diagnosis was not associated with symptom change over time, treatment dropout, or clinically significant change. DISCUSSION: Although PTSD diagnoses were associated with higher ED symptom levels at admission, PTSD was not associated with worse treatment outcomes, suggesting the UTM is a promising treatment for patients with and without PTSD. Future studies should investigate the impact of ED treatment on PTSD symptoms in order to determine the need for integrated treatments for these comorbid conditions.

Eating Disorders and Overweight/Obesity in Veterans: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Treatment Considerations.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Eating disorders (EDs) and overweight/obesity (OW/OB) have a significant impact on veterans. This review highlights current research on EDs and OW/OB in this population. RECENT FINDINGS: Prevalence estimates for both EDs and OW/OB among veterans remain consistent with and possibly higher than those in the general population. Both diagnoses share multiple risk factors, including trauma history, and mental health comorbidities. Although weight loss treatments have been fairly well studied among veteran samples, there are no published investigations on psychotherapies for EDs in this population. The Veterans Healthcare Administration is working to train providers in ED treatments. VHA treatments for OW/OB show some benefits and areas for improvement. Areas for future research include structured assessments for EDs and disordered eating behaviors in veterans to clarify prevalence estimates. There is a need for interventions that consider common mechanisms for ED and OW/OB, and there is a need for more research on the associations between different types of trauma and ED/OW/OB in veterans.

Premenstrual symptoms as a marker of ovarian hormone sensitivity in eating disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Research indicates a link between ovarian hormones and eating pathology, suggesting that some women with an eating disorder may be ovarian hormone sensitive. Using premenstrual symptoms (PMS) as an indirect measure of ovarian hormone sensitivity, we investigated the association between 11 PMS domains and four core eating disorder symptoms: body dissatisfaction, binge eating, purging, and restriction. METHOD: Participants were young adult women (N = 455) who completed an online survey. PMS were assessed using the Daily Record of Severity of Problems and eating pathology with the Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory. Pearson correlations were calculated between PMS domains and eating disorder symptoms followed by a stepwise regression to create a more refined model for each eating disorder symptom, including relevant covariates. RESULTS: Significant correlations between a majority of eating disorder symptoms and PMS emerged (r's = .13-.37; p < .01). Backward regression revealed significant PMS domain predictors for each symptom. The final models captured a small-to-moderate amount of variance for each eating disorder symptom (R2 = 0.06-0.25). DISCUSSION: Women who experience physical and psychological PMS may be at risk for eating disorder symptoms; PMS could be a marker of ovarian hormone sensitivity in women at risk for an eating disorder. Future studies should address mechanisms underlying this association.