Genetics and Epigenetics of Eating Disorders

Two key features characterize a modern view of eating disorder etiology. First, almost all risk and protective factors, both genetic and environmental, are probabilistic, rather than deterministic. Second, the old debate pitting nature against nurture is overly simplistic. Nature and nurture represent opposite sides of the same etiological coin rather than opposing influences. Eating disorder psychopathology is a function of nature and nurture rather nature or nurture. Therefore, the foremost goal of current genetic research on eating disorders is to identify all loci and pathways that confer risk or protection. The key advantage of genetic studies is that causation can be inferred because exposure to the genetic risk factor begins at conception and before disease onset. The second goal is to discover the pathophysiology underlying eating disorder development. The third is to use identified loci to inform prevention and treatment approaches