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Eating disorders and autism spectrum: links and risks

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2020

Barbara Carpita Open the ORCID record for Barbara Carpita [Opens in a new window] ,
Dario Muti ,
Ivan Mirko Cremone ,
Andrea Fagiolini  and
Liliana Dell’Osso
Barbara Carpita
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
Dario Muti*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
Ivan Mirko Cremone
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
Andrea Fagiolini
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Liliana Dell’Osso
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
*
*Author for correspondence: Dario Muti, Email: dario.muti1986@gmail.com
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Abstract

In the last decades, increasing attention has been provided to socio-cultural and neurobiological factors involved in the psychopathology of feeding and eating disorders (FED), encouraging a multifactorial approach. In this framework, several authors stressed an association between FED and other kinds of psychiatric disorders from both a psychopathological and a neurobiological point of view. In particular, many promising contributions are focusing on the possible link between FED and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Growing interest about this association rose from the frequently reported evidence of ASD-like traits amongst FED patients and abnormal eating behaviors amongst patients with ASD. This narrative review overview aims to summarize the most relevant findings about the overlap between different kinds of FED and the autism spectrum, taking into account the most recent hypotheses about the psychopathology of both these conditions. While most of the studies focused on anorexia nervosa, both ASD and autistic traits seem to be detectable also in other kinds of FED. In addition, the recently increased interest toward a dimensional approach to psychopathology led to progressively broadening the concept of ASD, focusing on its subthreshold and gender-specific manifestations and on its link with other psychiatric conditions, including FED. Globally the studies summarized here provide further support to theoretical models featuring a neurodevelopmental approach for mental disorders. In particular, FED have been conceptualized as a possible psychopathological trajectory of a neurodevelopmental alteration, toward which female gender would act as one of many predisposing factors.

Keywords

Autistic traitsbroad autism phenotypeautism spectrum disorderanorexia nervosaeating disordersgender
Type
Review
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 27 , Issue 3 , June 2022 , pp. 272 - 280
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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