Abonormal Brain Circuitry may Cause Anorexia

What? Could this be the evidence we need to increase understanding that people don't choose to have eating disorders and can't just stop? The online journal, Nature Reviews Neuroscience published this latest find which may give more understanding to why people develop anorexia and it's behaviors.

Thanks to Dr. Walter Kaye and his colleagues at UCSD and the research they have done at the Eating Disorders Program we have another insight into this deadly disease. As any family who has lived with this frightening disease knows; anorexia has the highest death rate of any psychiatric condition. It's hard to believe but there still are few effective treatments for anorexia. This research suggests that people with anorexia have an imbalance in brain circuitry that regulates emotions and rewards. Hopefully this will give insights for those who are challenged in experiencing pleasure, worry a lot and tend to be perfectionists.

Let's hope that this will give us some more effective treatments for anorexia! So good to see more and more research happening for all of these disorders that are not only deadly but also destroy families.

Read more about the research on this area of the brain called the anterior insula and the role it plays in how people are aware of their internal body signals. www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

Also, don't forget that all are welcome to the NEDA Conference in Minneapolis, MN in September. Check that out too on the website www.nationaleatingdisoders.org I'm on the host committee and look forward to meeting you and sharing secrets to our fun cities.