Psychology - Biological Explanation of Eating Disorders Essay

Incidences of Anorexia Nervosa have appeared to increase sharply in the USA, UK and western European countries since the beginning of the 60s (Gordon, 2001). The increasing prevalence of the disease has led the World Health Organisation to declare eating disorders a global priority area within adolescent mental health (Becker et al. 2011). Anorexia has in many ways become a modern epidemic (Gordon, 2000) and with a mortality rate of 10% per decade (Gorwood et al. 2003), the highest of any mental disorder (Bulik et al. 2006), it is an epidemic that social and biological scientists have been working tirelessly to understand.

Eating disorder is the abnormal eating behavior that would negatively impact one’s health, emotions and ability to function in important areas of life. Eating disorders include several categories: binge eating disorder, which means people eat large amount in a short period, anorexia nervosa which people eat very little, bulimia nervosa which people eat a lot and then try to rid themselves of food, pica which people eat non-food items, rumination disorder means people regurgitate food, avoidant food intake means that people have a lack of interest in food, and other specified eating disorders (ANAD). There is believed to be no single cause for eating disorders, as all the biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors contribute to this illness. Studies have shown that specific chromosomes may be associated with bulimia and anorexia (NY times). Eating disorders may also be caused by imbalance of serotonin and dopamine which explain why people who have anorexia

Eating disorders affect millions of men and women every day. Bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, and binge eating disorder are three main types of eating disorders that can have detrimental consequences on the human body. These eating disorders not only deteriorate one’s body, but also eradicate the mind. “Inherent to anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are a plethora of medical complications which correlate with the severity of weight loss or the frequency and mode of purging” (Mehler, 2015).

The “Dying to be Thin” video increased my knowledge of the historical and scientific aspects of these eating disorders. It followed the common theme of how our culture contributes to the increasing number of girls and woman affected by AN and BN. As an athlete I could relate to the struggles of the ballet dancers to conform to the weight requirements of the profession. I was told to lose weight by my tennis coaches at every stage of my professional development. My sister who is also a tennis professional struggled with anorexia. I was particularity interested in the scientific research revealed in the “Dying to be Thin” video. It reinforced my belief that further studies of the brain will reveal previously unknown aspects of eating disorders and could lead to a cure. Scientist have found that elevated levels of serotonin are a marker for eating disorders. Increased serotonin levels reduces appetite. People with

While it has been long assumed that bulimia and anorexia have stemmed from insecurities and poor choices; DNA, genetics, endorphins, cholecystokinin, and CCK levels, among other things, are all important deciding factors of whether or not someone will be plagued with the diseases. Among the two, bulimia nervosa has had the most backed research on what could be the cause and nature of the disease. Bulimia Nervosa is a binge eating disorder. During these binges the participants eat without their food hormone receptors turning off resulting in them eating more than what would be FDA approved. After one of their binges they quickly purge themselves in a hope to lose the weight they gained during their binges. Pinpointing the causes of it have proven difficult because the disorder has both mental and psychical components, and it develops in

Because of ghrelin’s effect on appetite and its suggested role in eating disorders, this research will aim to investigate ghrelin’s relationship with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). The following paper will determine exactly how these eating disorders influence ghrelin regulation or how ghrelin levels may influence the eating disorders themselves. This paper will examine ghrelin’s functions, the two eating disorders, and what that relationship precisely is by examining ghrelin’s metabolic actions as well as two clinical trials that explore its role in bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa.

Researchers have found that in many cases dealing with eating disorders, the person may be dealing with difficulties trying to cope with their emotions and events in their lives, problems controlling impulsive behaviors or trouble managing their moods. These disorders have also been linked to women with a history of sexual, physical, and mental abuse. Scientists also have proof linking eating disorders to genetics. It is from the imbalance of serotonin which is a chemical in your brain involved in depression. Other reasons people may develop eating disorders are perfectionism, depression, low self-worth, self-loathing, poor body image, to acquire a sense of security, and it also has been used as an unconscious attempt to resolve conflict or seek control. In many cases, bulimia has been used as an escape method for dealing with other problems in life like, family dysfunctions, the feeling of abandonment, and a past of sexual abuse or other painful past experiences. Bulimia gives a person a sense of control when they feel as if everything else in life has gone out of

Anorexia Nervosa is the condition when an individual abstains from food in order to lose weight or prevent more weight gain. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV(DSM-IV) there are four aspects of criteria to be diagnosed with anorexia: a refusal to maintain weight above what is minimally normal for one’s age and height, and extreme fear of weight gain, distorted body image, and (in females) having amenorrhea(missing three or more consecutive menstrual cycles.)(DSM-IV, 2000:589) Anorexia not only affects weight, but also alters bone growth, neurotransmitters and hormones in the brain, and electrolytes.

A combination of genetic, physical, social, and psychological factors may contribute to the development of an eating disorder, such as Anorexia. Anorexia is an emotional disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat. Eating disorders effect ten million females and one million males in the United States. Also 0.3 percent of the eating disorders occur in teenage children.

Disturbances in the levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin appear to be a characteristic of individuals with eating disorders. Kaye 2005 found a reduction in the levels of the serotonin metabolite 5-HIAA in people with eating disorders. This suggests that brain serotonin pathways are underactive. Using PET scans it has been shown that there are fewer serotonin receptors in the brains of those with eating disorders. The brain serotonin system has been implicated in personality traits linked with eating disorders such as

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that consists of self-regulated food restriction in which the person strives for thinness and also involves distortion of the way the person sees his or her own body. An anorexic person weighs less than 85% of their ideal body weight. The prevalence of eating disorders is between .5-1% of women aged 15-40 and about 1/20 of this number occurs in men. Anorexia affects all aspects of an affected person's life including emotional health, physical health, and relationships with others (Shekter-Wolfson et al 5-6). A study completed in 1996 showed that anorexics also tend to possess traits that are obsessive in nature and carry heavy emotional

Fava did another study done on eating disorder on seretonin. Fava discovered a link between the levels of seretonin and anorexia. This showed that biologically the levels of seretonin in a person could cause them to develop anorexia. However Fava did not show whether this change in the levels of seretonin he discovered was a cause for the participants developing anorexia or whether it is a result of anorexia. Since people who suffer from anorexia are often depressed it is difficult to show whether it is a result or cause.

Eating disorders stem from a combination of psychological, biological, and social factors. Feelings of depression and anxiety along with daily stressors can contribute to

Hoffman states, “In trying to understand the causes of eating disorders, scientists have studied the personalities, genetics, environments, and biochemistry of people with these illnesses. As is often the case, the more that is learned, the more complex the roots of eating disorders appear.”

From a biological point of view, studies have shown that people with eating disorders have irregular activity in the brain’s hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is a small structure in the frontal area that controls things such as hunger and