Anorexia is a debilitating and potentially fatal illness suffered by millions of people worldwide. First recognized by medical professionals in the 19th century, treatments for this devastating disease are still limited. A recent paper published in Frontiers in Psychiatry details a study carried out by an Oxford University team that suggests anorexia may not be exclusively psychological.
Scientists continue their research into anorexia. Let’s hope we can put a stop to this debilitating disorder - Image Credit: Tero Vesalainen via Shutterstock
The lead author of the paper, student - Ana Ghenciulescu, explains there is evidence of a possible causal link between a patient's microbiome and anorexia nervosa. If true, it may open up a whole new area of treatment available to those afflicted. In the report, Ghenciulescu says, "There has been a great deal of recent excitement about the idea that gut microbes affect many aspects of our health, including our mental health - and that this relationship goes both ways.". She also stresses there is still a long way to go before we fully understand this relationship.
Ghenciulescu and her colleagues analyzed recent research carried out on the relationship between gut bacteria and anorexia to produce the report. The senior researcher on the report, Dr Phill Burnet, said, "In anorexia, microbial communities seem to be less diverse and more abundant in 'harmful' species". These 'harmful' species of bacteria have been known to cause inflammation of the gut by eroding the protective mucus lining. Gut inflammation is known to contribute to some psychiatric symptoms. Other microbes found to be abundant in the gut of anorexia sufferers may affect metabolism, appetite, and energy regulation. These factors can also be linked to anorexia and may contribute to the disease.
There is certainly a correlation between the health of the gut microbiome and anorexia nervosa, but more research needs to be done to prove causation. Promising studies on mice suggest gut bacteria may be a contributing factor to developing anorexia and not a result of the patient's restricted diet. Ghenciulescu explains, "In a mouse study, researchers transferred fecal samples from anorexia patients to the guts of mice with no microbiome of their own, such mice gained less weight and developed more anxious and compulsive behaviors compared with mice who received feces from healthy patients. This suggests that their altered gut bacteria might be contributing to similar symptoms in anorexia patients as well."
Even if causation is proven, we need to know more about what a healthy gut microbiome looks like to devise an effective treatment. It is probable each person's ideal gut bacteria composition is different, so pro-biotic or fecal transplants would probably need to be personalized to individuals. This research is still in its infancy, but it does offer hope of an effective way to treat, at least, some of the symptoms of this horrible disease.
Further reading:
The Gut Microbiome in Anorexia Nervosa: Friend or Foe? (Frontiers in Psychiatry)
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