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Genetic Link Between Anorexia, Autism: Study

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Jun 19, 2009 6:11 PM CDT

(Newser) – Anorexia might not be a social or psychological malady but rather an inherited genetic problem, Time reports. Furthermore, researchers see commonalities between that condition and autism. “Both autism-spectrum conditions and anorexia share a narrow focus of attention, a resistance to change and excellent attention to detail,” one doctor said. And the different conditions could be explained by the gender gap.

Fifteen times as many boys are diagnosed with Asperger’s—a mild form of autism—than girls, and girls are 10 times more likely to be anorexic. Researchers posit that gender causes the underlying condition to manifest differently: a focus on weight for girls, on cars and trains for boys. “We are where autism was 20 years ago,” a doctor said. “Anorexia is as biological as autism. It’s just 20 years behind in terms of research.”

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

A giant poster showing a naked emaciated woman, part of a campaign against anorexia. (AP Photo)

An autistic boy. (AP Photo)

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We are where autism was 20 years ago. There were the same discussions about the mother causing kids to be autistic, and most of the theory and treatment was based on that. - Dr. Walter Kaye, University of California

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 4 comments

Toon

Jun 21, 2009 12:36 PM CDT

Seems to me that an autistic mother would indeed be cool and distant. Perhaps doctors were missing a genetic link that was right under their noses.

brawne

Jun 20, 2009 12:25 PM CDT

Poor Steven Pinker. Over and over he writes about the fallacy of the blank slate, but he must still wait patiently for every study which proves him right. Well, that's the scientific method and patience would be a prerequisite. Everything is biological--genetic or congenital, except head injuries, viruses and parents who hang you in the closet and burn you with cigarettes. And by that I just mean that given some good genetics and a decent womb experience, your problems will be tolerable except for really bad parenting which is doubtful based on the good genetics. Which makes me think of Dodson, I have no idea why, who believes that being gay is simply a choice and not biological because identical twins are not both gay. He makes that assertion based on an assumption that identical twins share identical DNA. Well, yeah, but they don't share identical placenta benefits. Considering that I'm not gay, not that there's anything wrong with it, I think it gets my goat on the basic misuse of science thing, because if we finally accept the biological basis for so many things we dislike and blame on nurture, we will have to be much less judgmental and just bless our lucky nature.

prowlerzee

Jun 20, 2009 1:33 AM CDT

Another women's disease neglected for 20 years...while they blamed "cold, distant mothers."

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anorexia • autism • England • medical research • gender gap • Asperger's Syndrome • genetic defects

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