The Role of Metabolic, Immune, and Neurotrophic Markers in the Etiology of Eating Disorders Using Neonatal Bloodspots

Anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are serious eating disorders (EDs) with significant morbidity and mortality. Genetic studies have shown associations between EDs and metabolic traits, and longitudinal studies indicate distinct weight trajectories in children who later develop AN or BN, suggesting early involvement of metabolic factors. Biological studies also reveal differences in immune and neurotrophic markers in individuals with EDs compared to controls. Intriguingly, metabolites measured in neonatal blood could serve as very early markers of ED risk, unconfounded by state or scar factors related to prolonged starvation.

Here the investigators propose to comprehensively analyze neonatal biomarkers (metabolic, immune, and neurotrophic), epidemiological factors, and genetics to understand ED risk and develop risk prediction models