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The Influence of Gender and Puberty on the Heritability of Disordered Eating Symptoms

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Behavioral Neurobiology of Eating Disorders

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences ((CTBN,volume 6))

Abstract

Eating disorders and disordered eating symptoms are clearly heritable, but recent research has suggested that genetic and environmental influences on disordered eating symptoms vary as a function of gender and development. Data are limited, but evidence suggests that gender may moderate the type of genetic risk, rather than the magnitude of genetic effects, on disordered eating symptoms. Only a moderate proportion of the genetic influences on disordered eating symptoms are shared between males and females. In females, at least some of the unique genetic risk may be related to puberty and ovarian hormone regulation. The heritability of disordered eating symptoms in females increases with both pubertal development and increasing levels of estradiol. Although much more research is needed to elucidate specific mechanisms, gonadal hormones may be promising candidates for understanding sex and developmental effects and the ways in which genes exert their influence on disordered eating.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 43 Psychology Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1116, USA

    Kristen M. Culbert & Sarah E. Racine

  2. Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 107B Psychology Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1116, USA

    Kelly L. Klump

Authors
  1. Kristen M. Culbert
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  2. Sarah E. Racine
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  3. Kelly L. Klump
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kelly L. Klump .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroscience, Dept. Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of, Universiteitsweg 100, Utrecht, 3508 AB, Netherlands

    Roger A.H. Adan

  2. Dept. Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla Drive 8950, La Jolla, 92037, California, USA

    Walter H. Kaye

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© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Culbert, K.M., Racine, S.E., Klump, K.L. (2010). The Influence of Gender and Puberty on the Heritability of Disordered Eating Symptoms. In: Adan, R., Kaye, W. (eds) Behavioral Neurobiology of Eating Disorders. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, vol 6. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2010_80

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