Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that can be deadly. Many who are afflicted by it are initially in denial to have it until the condition has worsened. A study finds that anorexic women also show autistic traits.
Anorexia can have effects that last a long time, even if the person has recovered from it physically. The effects are largely mental, as researchers have found that people who suffer from anorexia have autistic tendencies as well. The autistic tendencies can linger even after the person has recovered from anorexia.
The link to anorexia and autism has been studied by researchers from Sahlgrenska Academy. In the study made by Louise Karjalainen, Ph.D. and a psychologist from the Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre in Gothenburg. Autistic people have a disturbed eating pattern much like anorexic people, though the similarities don't end there.
Karjalainen has studied this relationship between anorexia and autism with 30 women ages 15 to 25 years old who have anorexia. A follow-up on the group after a year shows that their physical condition has improved. However, the negative thought patterns about food were still there even if they have shown physical recovery from anorexia.
Behavior that has been associated with autism that have been observed with anorexic people include unable to bear the smell of food, irritation at the sound of eating and a general discomfort around people during meals, according to the Sahlgrenska Academy's site. The behavior could lead some to relapse into anorexia if not properly guided. Karjalainen has also said that the behavior has not been previously noted or understood on people with anorexia.
An MRI scan of those who have anorexia has shown that the brain has the same changes as those who are autistic, as Science Daily reports. This is most visibly seen on an area near the temple area, where gray matter has been observed to be getting thin. Healthy people have not been observed to have this condition.
Karjalainen has said that more study is needed in order to fully understand the parallels between anorexia and autism. The study so far has shown that anorexic women also show autistic traits. A study has also found that physical activity keeps children from depression.
