Anorexia News and Research

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Study reveals shared genetic roots across multiple psychiatric disorders

Distinct psychiatric disorders have more in common biologically than previously believed, according to the largest and most detailed analysis to date of how genes influence mental illness.

11 Dec 2025

Shared genetic roots of 14 psychiatric disorders revealed

Researchers from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) report that most genetic influences on mental illness are shared across diagnostic categories, revealing a more interconnected biological landscape than traditional classifications suggest.

11 Dec 2025

11 genetic loci that shape impulsive decision-making

Researchers identify distinct genetic loci involved in delay discounting and how these variants are involved in physical and psychiatric health outcomes.

3 Dec 2025

Maternal eating disorders linked to higher asthma and wheezing risks in children

Eating disorders in mums-to-be are linked to a heightened risk of asthma and wheezing in their children, irrespective of the type of disorder, presence of co-existing depression/anxiety, or the timing of their child's exposure, finds research published online in the journal Thorax.

2 Dec 2025

Ultrasound technique modifies human reward learning for the first time

The nucleus accumbens is a tiny element of the human brain triggered when we experience something enjoyable, and used to help us learn behaviours that lead to rewards.

27 Nov 2025

Study reveals the long-lasting health impacts of eating disorders

The health impacts of eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating, are not only complex, affecting many different organ systems, but long-lasting, finds a large tracking study, published in the open access journal BMJ Medicine.

19 Nov 2025

Brain recordings reveal short-lived effects of tirzepatide on food cravings

A rare glimpse into the brain activity of a patient with obesity and loss of control eating on tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro and Zepbound, revealed that the medication suppresses signaling in the brain's "reward center" thought to be involved in food noise – but only temporarily.

17 Nov 2025

Recreational athletes feel healthy but unhappy with their bodies

New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has revealed a striking disconnect between how recreational athletes perceive their health and fitness, and how they feel about their bodies.

11 Nov 2025

Low-dose THC mitigates harmful side effects and inflammation caused by HIV treatment

Long-term, low doses of THC mitigate many harmful side effects and inflammation caused by HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART), according to new research from Texas Biomedical Research Institute.

6 Nov 2025

Exploring the link between underweight status and gut microbiota composition in Japanese women

Low body weight in young women has been linked to a range of health concerns, including disrupted menstrual cycles, infertility, weakened immune function, and a long-term decline in bone density.

31 Oct 2025

Researchers discover how a brain circuit allows eating despite anxiety

How do mammals manage to eat in situations that cause anxiety, step into exposed spaces, or slow down when anxiety drives them to keep moving? A new study pinpoints a leptin-sensitive circuit in the lateral hypothalamus that helps to overcome anxiety to perform essential behaviors such as exploring, feeding, and limiting maladaptive hyperactivity.

21 Oct 2025

Germany launches new training to help doctors recognize eating disorders in men

The iSMEsH study aims to combat stigma around men's eating disorders, training healthcare providers to improve diagnosis and treatment in primary care settings.

14 Oct 2025

Climate change fuels spread of neurological virus in Europe

Growing numbers of West Nile virus infection cases, fueled by climate change, are sparking fears among citizens and healthcare providers in Europe. A Clinical Insight in the European Journal of Internal Medicine, published by Elsevier, aims to raise awareness and equip medical professionals with the knowledge needed to recognize and manage this emerging disease to avoid further spread and serious health consequences, especially for vulnerable individuals.

23 Sep 2025

Medicaid-insured kids with anorexia face longer hospital stays

Medicaid-insured kids with anorexia hospitalized for medical stabilization remain in hospital longer than peers with private insurance despite similar illness severity, according to a study from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago published in the Journal of Eating Disorders.

9 Sep 2025

Adolescent anorexia linked to higher unemployment and lower earnings

Anorexia is a serious mental health disorder that typically begins during adolescence. A study, conducted by the Research Unit of Population Health and Oulu Business School at the University of Oulu, examined how anorexia in adolescence affects labor market position in adulthood compared with peers.

29 Aug 2025

Illinois researchers highlight most effective nutritional approaches for GI distress in cancer care

Many modern cancer treatments are highly effective at reducing or eliminating tumors, but they can also cause severe gastrointestinal symptoms that impact patients' quality of life or lead to discontinuation of treatment.

28 Aug 2025

GIPR signaling opens brain’s gate for GLP-1 weight-loss therapy

A Cell Metabolism study reveals that GIPR signaling in oligodendrocytes enhances brain access and weight-loss efficacy of GLP-1R agonists by increasing vascular permeability and targeting appetite-regulating neurons. This mechanism may explain why GIPR/GLP-1R co-agonists outperform single-agent therapies.

14 Aug 2025

Uncovering origins of autism, depression, Parkinson's in fetal brain

The origin of some neuropsychiatric diseases, such as autism, bipolar disorder, or depression, and certain neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, can be found in very early stages of brain formation in the fetus. That is, earlier than previously recognized, according to a study by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and Yale University, published in Nature Communications.

26 Jul 2025

Cannabis and psychedelics rated most effective for symptom relief by eating disorder patients

A pioneering international survey of people living with eating disorders has found that cannabis and psychedelics, such as 'magic mushrooms' or LSD, were best rated as alleviating symptoms by respondents who self-medicated with the non-prescribed drugs.

22 Jul 2025

Gut-brain axis in eating disorders offers new treatment potential

Understanding the gut-brain axis is key to addressing eating disorders. This study highlights microbiota's influence and emerging therapeutic approaches.

16 Jul 2025