
Gut bacteria population, diversity linked to anorexia nervosa
Studying the ‘gut-brain axis,’ UNC researchers find evidence of an association between the gut microbiota and the eating disorder.
Studying the ‘gut-brain axis,’ UNC researchers find evidence of an association between the gut microbiota and the eating disorder.
UNC’s part in the study is led by Dr. Cynthia M. Bulik, Distinguished Professor of Eating Disorders in the Department of Psychiatry in the School of Medicine, a Professor of Nutrition in the Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Founding Director of the UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders.
The Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative (ANGI) will collect DNA samples from more than 8,000 people with anorexia nervosa (AN) and those without an eating disorder in an effort to detect genes that contribute to this potentially life-threatening illness.
These results may be driven by a mistaken belief among women with anorexia that they can’t get pregnant because they are not menstruating or are having irregular periods.