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Review
. 2005 Sep;30(5):335-9.

Exploring the gene-environment nexus in eating disorders

Cynthia M Bulik  1
Affiliations
Review

Exploring the gene-environment nexus in eating disorders

Cynthia M Bulik. J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2005 Sep.

Abstract
in English, French

Early theories of eating disorders focused on aversive family and sociocultural factors as fundamental to the development of these problems. A progression of family, twin and molecular genetic studies has demonstrated a substantial role for genetic factors in the development of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and related traits. Paradoxically, genetic studies hold promise for refining and enriching our approach to understanding the impact of adverse environmental forces. The development of new and more sophisticated approaches for understanding the complex interplay of genetic and environmental effects will allow enhanced understanding of both risk and protective environmental factors and how they may influence expressions of underlying genetic vulnerabilities to eating disorders.

Les premières théories sur les troubles de l'alimentation portaient avant tout sur des facteurs familiaux et socioculturels aversifs qui jouaient un rôle fondamental dans l'apparition de ces problèmes. L'évolution des études sur la famille, les jumeaux et la génétique moléculaire a démontré que des facteurs génétiques jouent un rôle important dans l'apparition de l'anorexie mentale, de la boulimie et de caractéristiques apparentées. Les études de génétique promettent d'améliorer et d'enrichir notre façon de comprendre l'incidence des forces environnementales indésirables, ce qui est paradoxal. La mise au point de stratégies nouvelles et plus sophistiquées pour comprendre l'interdépendance complexe entre les effets de la génétique et ceux de l'environnement permettra de mieux comprendre les facteurs à la fois de risque et de protection de l'environnement et comment ils peuvent jouer sur les vulnérabilités génétiques sous-jacentes qui s'expriment sous forme de troubles de l'alimentation.

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