[ad_1]
Although researchers have discovered that some metabolic genes are linked to anorexia nervosa ("anorexia" is not just a psychiatric problem, July 16), I think Gerome Breen and his colleagues have made a conceptual mistake by suggesting that this is not psychiatric. Psychiatric conditions are diseases that primarily affect mental processes and symptoms, but this definition does not mean a psychological cause, and physical symptoms are common in mental illnesses – just think of the palpitations and over-exhalation of mental illnesses. a panic attack.
All psychiatric conditions are caused by an interaction between the mind and body of a person; in particular their biology (in particular their DNA), their psychological constitution and their social context. And the activity of the genes itself can be determined by our environment through epigenetics. Biological processes are becoming more apparent in all mental illnesses thanks to advances in technology such as functional brain tests and genomic studies. Advances in prevention and treatment will result in a better understanding of how the mind and body interact to cause mental illness, and not redefining these diseases as solely physical.
Peter White
Emeritus Professor of Psychological Medicine, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University, London
• Gaby Hinsliff writes that research on anorexia reveals significant genetic causality (July 17 Opinion), but that history shows few cases of hungry behavior. This was fortunately very rare. The current tragedy of anorexia is very worrying. But it's a fairly recent phenomenon. Suggest that its causes are rooted in DNA is clearly incorrect. Suggesting this to a person suffering from anorexia, is at best distracting him from what needs to be done to relieve his problems.
Declan Flynn
Dublin
• Join the debate – email [email protected]
• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters
• Do you have a photo you would like to share with Guardian readers? Click here to download it and we will post the best submissions in the letters of our print edition
Source link
