Girls with Anorexia Display Autism-Like Behavior

A new University of Cambridge study has found that anorexic girls display autism-like behavior.

Traits such as low empathy for others and above-average interest in systems, which are common to people diagnosed with autism are also present in girls with the eating disorder- anorexia nervosa.

People with anorexia nervosa have a fear of gaining weight, even when they are actually underweight. These people diet, exercise and use other means to stay thin. There is no known cause for this disorder. Experts believe genes and hormones play a vital role in the onset of this disorder. Social attitudes promoting very thin bodies are known to push people into this condition, according to Medline Plus.

Autism Spectrum Disorders or ASD refer to development disabilities that lead to poor social interactions and communication abilities. According to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), In the U.S., 1 in 88 children and 1 in every 54 boys are born with autism.

The conditions might look different, but according to researchers, share similar signs. People with either condition are known to be focused and take great interest in details. They also have a rigid attitude and behavior. Alterations in brain regions that correspond with the condition are similar for both disorders.

For the study, researchers tested 66 teenage girls with anorexia to see how they fared on tests for autism. They then compared their scores to the scores of 1,000 girls who didn't suffer from anorexia.

They found that Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) of anorexic girls was about five times higher than other girls. Girls with anorexia also displayed high levels of Systemising Quotient (SQ), and reduced Empathy Quotient (EQ), which was comparable to the scores of people diagnosed with autism.  

 "Traditionally, anorexia has been viewed purely as an eating disorder. This is quite reasonable, since the girl's dangerously low weight, and their risk of malnutrition or even death has to be the highest priority. But this new research is suggesting that underlying the surface behaviour, the mind of a person with anorexia may share a lot with the mind of a person with autism. In both conditions, there is a strong interest in systems. In girls with anorexia, they have latched onto a system that concerns body weight, shape, and food intake," said Professor Simon Baron-Cohen at the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University

"Autism is diagnosed more often in males. This new research suggests that a proportion of females with autism may be being overlooked or misdiagnosed, because they present to clinics with anorexia," Dr Bonnie Auyeung, a member of the research team, added in a news release.

The study is published in the journal Molecular Autism.