Review of eating disorders and oxytocin receptor polymorphisms.

Oxytocin is a chemical made in the brain that affects human behaviour in areas from anxiety, bonding right through to appetite. Oxytocin works by binding to a specific cellular receptor. In humans, the genes that specify this receptor are found in slightly different versions that are inherited from each parent. Research has suggested that individuals who possess speicfic combinations of oxytocin receptor gene variants may be more susceptible to certain kinds of mental illness. This paper considers two different versions of the oxytocin receptor gene most studied in relation to eating disorders. The two different versions considered in this review do not seem to affect the structure of the oxytocin receptor itself. Together, research indicates that the presence or absence of a particular receptor gene variant in an individual might have some predictive capability in respect of potential susceptibility to eating disorders. However, further research is necessary as some of the findings are contradictory. In addition, environmental factors­such as poor maternal care early in life­have also been demonstrated to be important in determining whether an individual will develop an eating disorder. Research in this area would benefit from non-hypothesis driven studies.