Neural Link Between Early Life Trauma and Binge-Eating Disorder

This finding talks about how life’s health course is set based on certain early experiences. We are increasingly aware that early experiences and exposures ranging from those that occur even pre-conception in future parents through those that the fetus experiences in utero and to those that the child experiences throughout postnatal life can have dramatic impact on our health course throughout life.

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Stress has a powerful effect on food consumption, dietary preferences and food responsiveness (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Relationship between stress, eating behavior, and obesity

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). According to the study, the stress on mice who were separated from their litter mates may trigger life-long eating behavior changes.

Binge eating disorder (BED), the most common type of eating disorder, is defined by recurrent episodes of binge eating accompanied by feelings of loss of control even in the absence of hunger and it is often associated with being overweight (3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Diagnosis and management of binge eating disorder

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Connection of Early-Life Trauma with Bingeing

Importantly, clinical studies suggest adults with BED frequently report histories of certain forms of ELT (for example, family conflict, loss of family members or economic distress), highlighting the importance of ELT in the development of binge eating habits later in life. Thus, identifying the specific neural mechanisms underlying ELT-induced binge eating may aid the development of more effective therapies for BED and obesity (4^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Childhood psychological, physical, and sexual maltreatment in outpatients with binge eating disorder: frequency and associations with gender, obesity, and eating-related psychopathology

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).

Impact of Leptin and Early-Life Trauma Leading to Bingeing

In order to recognise the connection between the disorder and early life trauma, researchers studied the impact of a hormone in the brain called leptin. Leptin has long been known suppress appetite and weight gain by signaling the brain that it’s time to stop eating.

The team found that in mice that experienced early life stress and exhibited behavior similar to binge-eating, leptin is less effective in a part of the brain called the lateral hypothalamus, where many behaviors are regulated. Without these signals from the brain, the overeating continues.

On further investigation, the researchers identified neurons in another part of the brain called the ventro-lateral peri-aqueductal gray that respond to the message from leptin and lateral hypothalamus, thereby regulating binge eating.

“While there is much more research to do, knowing the specific molecule and receptors in the brain to target, we can now provide insight and the foundation for developing therapeutic strategies for the disorder”, said investigators.

This research brings hope regarding the progress in the neuroscience behind binge-eating disorder. Advanced imaging, and brain circuitry may allow experts to find risk factors, triggers, and causes. Studying the role of traumatic and early life experiences of this pathway may help with prevention and early intervention efforts to prevent binge-eating disorder.

References :

1. Early adversity promotes binge-like eating habits by remodeling a leptin-responsive lateral hypothalamus-brainstem pathway – (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-022-01208-0)
2. Relationship between stress, eating behavior, and obesity – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17869482/)
3. Diagnosis and management of binge eating disorder – (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2174583/)
4. Childhood psychological, physical, and sexual maltreatment in outpatients with binge eating disorder: frequency and associations with gender, obesity, and eating-related psychopathology – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11346674/)

Source: Medindia