New Developments In Eating Disorders Research

The abundance of food in the developed countries of the world has seemingly spawned an epidemic of disorders connected to the food. Extremes such as intensive concern about one's body image and total disregard for it have resulted in countries which contain enormous segments of the population who are either obese and proud of it or bordering on anorexia nervosa. This new book gathers state-of-the-art research from leading scientists throughout the world which offers important information on understanding the underlying causes and discovering the most effective treatments for eating disorders.

Neuropsychological studies in eating disorders: a review / Laura Southgate, Kate Tchanturia and Janet Treasure -- Eating disorders in athletes: a review of the literature / Kristin L. Cobb -- Videoconferencing and technological advances in the treatment of eating disorders / Susan Simpson -- Effects of eating disorders on the skeleton / Peter Vestergaard -- A review of childhood family risk and protective factors for eating disorders / Ashley Furr and Lisa Thomson Ross -- Self-harm behavior and eating disorders / Randy A. Sansone and Lori A. Sansone -- Many facets of the systemic view: Chinese families with a starving daughter / Zenobia C.Y. Chan and Joyce L.C. Ma -- From food neophobia to selective eating: resistance to trying new foods in children and adults / Deborah Marcontell Michel -- The historical perspective of eating disorders in Italy: an update / Giovanni Maria Ruggiero ... [et al.] -- Eating disorders in Romania: recasting identities and their cultural meaning / Oltea Joja and Ana Catina -- Eating disorders and stages of change: prognostic influence on eating psychopathology / Luis Beato-Fernández and Teresa Rodríguez-Cano -- Binge eating disorders and psychotherapy: is it possible to systematize psychodynamic case formulation / Sara Mota Borges Bottino.

The abundance of food in the developed countries of the world has seemingly spawned an epidemic of disorders connected to the food. Extremes such as intensive concern about one's body image and total disregard for it have resulted in countries which contain enormous segments of the population who are either obese and proud of it or bordering on anorexia nervosa. This new book gathers state-of-the-art research from leading scientists throughout the world which offers important information on understanding the underlying causes and discovering the most effective treatments for eating disorders.

Abstract: Recent research developments in the field of anorexia nervosa are presented in this comprehensive volume of scientific papers by researchers in basic science, psychology, and psychiatry. The pathogenesis of anorexia nervosa is overviewed, including familial issues, sociocultural factors, body image disturbance, and the psychological typology of anorexia nervosa. A section examining biological factors in anorexia nervosa reports on results of experiments using animal models, on studies of endocrine alterations in anorexia nervosa, and on endocrine and menstrual responses to weight change. Treatment issues that are examined include 1) the nonlinearity of weight gain and nutrition intake in anorexia nervosa, 2) the effects of anorexia nervosa in delaying or preventing puberty, 3) medical consequences of starvation, 4) drugs and behavior therapy in anorexia nervosa, 5) provisional ideas about the psychologic structure in anorexia nervosa and bulimia, and 6) methodological issues in a study of family therapy in anorexia nervosa. A preliminary report is presented on the long-term prognosis for anorexia nervosa. This volume is designed for use by researchers and clinicians in psychiatry, psychology, pathology, nutrition, social work, endocrinology, pharmacology, gynecology, gastroenterology, and physiology. (aje).

Why is the brain important in eating disorders? This ground-breaking new book describes how increasingly sophisticated neuroscientific approaches are revealing much about the role of the brain in eating disorders. Even more importantly, it discusses how underlying brain abnormalities and dysfunction may contribute to the development and help in the treatment of these serious disorders. Neuropsychological studies show impairments in specific cognitive functions, especially executive and visuo-spatial skills. Neuroimaging studies show structural and functional abnormalities, including cortical atrophy and neural circuit abnormalities, the latter appearing to be playing a major part in the development of anorexia nervosa. Neurochemistry studies show dysregulation within neurotransmitter systems, with effects upon the modulation of feeding, mood, anxiety, neuroendocrine control, metabolic rate, sympathetic tone and temperature. The first chapter, by an eating disorders clinician, explains the importance of a neuroscience perspective for clinicians. This is followed by an overview of the common eating disorders, then chapters on what we know of them from studies of neuroimaging, neuropsychology and neurochemistry. The mysterious phenomenon of body image disturbance is then described and explained from a neuroscience perspective. The next two chapters focus on neuroscience models of eating disorders, the first offering an overview and the second a new and comprehensive explanatory model of anorexia nervosa. The following two chapters offer a clinical perspective, with attention on the implications of a neuroscience perspective for patients and their families, the second providing details of clinical applications of neuroscience understanding. The final chapter looks to the future. This book succinctly reviews current knowledge about all these aspects of eating disorder neuroscience and explores the implications for treatment. It will be of great interest to all clinicians (psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, dieticians, paediatricians, physicians, physiotherapists) working in eating disorders, as well as to neuroscience researchers.

Eating disorders and anorexia nervosa are relevant psychiatric problems and often represent a serious challenge to patients, families and clinicians as well. There are several questions surrounding anorexia nervosa about its etiology, maintaining factors, best treatment approaches, which still lack a definite answer. Anorexia is often puzzling and difficult to understand, for patients, who may have a poor insight into the reasons and meaning of their disorder, and for their loved ones who may feel powerless and hopeless when facing a disorder they cannot figure out. Clinicians may approach this disorder in very different ways. There is still a lot to reflect on in regard to anorexia, and the contributions included in this volume aim to help the reader find interesting hints about theoretical, clinical and research issues. (Imprint: Nova Biomedical)

In a detailed analysis of the field of eating problems and disorders, this book highlights the connections between the prevention of eating problems and disorders, and theory and research in the areas of prevention and health promotion. It also looks at models of risk development and prevention, specific issues and challenges, the status of current prevention research, and lessons for prevention program development. In this unique text Levine and Smolak draw on a range of interdisciplinary perspectives, including prevention science, developmental psychology, public health, and neuroscience, to provide a thorough review, history, and critique of the topic in light of a range of empirical studies. The only authored volume with a broad, detailed and integrated view of theories, research, and practice, this expanded, fully revised, and updated new edition features new chapters on dissonance-based approaches, public health, biopsychiatry and neuroscience, gender, culture(s), technology, obesity, protective factors, and ecological approaches. The Prevention of Eating Problems and Eating Disorders: Theories, Research, and Applications is essential reading for clinicians, academics, researchers, graduate students, upper-level undergraduates, and activists and advocates involved in work pertaining to eating disorders, disordered eating, prevention, health promotion, body image, obesity and biopsychosocial perspectives.

Although eating problems--ranging from body dissatisfaction and dieting to anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa--can begin and typically have their roots in childhood, theory and research in developmental psychopathology and developmental psychology have not received substantial attention in eating disorders research. This book provides crucial background material from both fields, and then makes direct applications to numerous aspects of the field of eating disorders including theory, research, treatment, and primary prevention. This book was born out of a transaction between frustration and optimism. The frustrations reflected the limitations of current knowledge about eating problems and disorders. Etiological "causes" which are sensitive and specific to eating disorders have been elusive. Although there is some understanding of risk factors, little is known about protective factors. This has made prevention, among other things, difficult. Furthermore, the mechanisms underlying the association between risk factors and disordered eating are poorly understood. For example, it is known that women are at greater risk than men are, but clinicians are hard- pressed to get beyond gender-based speculations and demonstrate why this is true. The optimism grows from familiarity with the field of developmental psychopathology. It seems evident that this approach has much to offer the field of eating disorders. This book is an early step in the integration of developmental psychopathology into theorizing, research, treatment, and prevention of eating disorders. It addresses four specific goals: * to introduce the principles and methodologies of developmental psychopathology, * to review the work of developmental psychologists in several major areas of behavior relevant to understanding the causes, treatment, and prevention of eating disorders, * to apply developmental psychopathology principles to the area of eating disorders, both in the form of theoretical models and in specific areas/issues raised by developmental psychopathology, and * to discuss the implications of developmental approaches for prevention programs and treatments.