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Bulimia nervosa and major depression: a study of common genetic and environmental factors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Ellen E. Walters ,
Michael C. Neale ,
Lindon J. Eaves ,
Andrew C. Heath ,
Ronald C. Kessler  and
Kenneth S. Kendler
Ellen E. Walters
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Human Genetics, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO; Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Michael C. Neale
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Human Genetics, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO; Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Lindon J. Eaves
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Human Genetics, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO; Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Andrew C. Heath
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Human Genetics, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO; Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Ronald C. Kessler
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Human Genetics, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO; Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Kenneth S. Kendler*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Human Genetics, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO; Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
*
1 Address for correspondence: Dr Kenneth S. Kendler, Department of Psychiatry, MCV Box 710, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.
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Synopsis

A genetic analysis of the co-occurrence of bulimia and major depression (MD) was performed on 1033 female twin pairs obtained from a population based register. Personal interviews were conducted and clinical diagnoses made according to DSM-III-R criteria.

Additive genes, but not family environment, are found to play an important aetiological role in both bulimia and MD. The genetic liabilities of the two disorders are correlated 0·456. While unique environmental factors account for around half of the variation in liability to both bulimia and MD, these risk factors appear to be unrelated, i.e., each disorder has its own set of unique environmental risk factors. Thus, the genetic liability of bulimia and MD is neither highly specific nor entirely nonspecific. There is some genetic correlation between the two disorders as well as some genetic and environmental risk factors unique to each disorder. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , August 1992 , pp. 617 - 622
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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