Women with anorexia display clear autistic traits

A research conducted in Sweden by Sahlgrenska Academy have shown that there is a link between anorexia and autistic behavior..

Women with anorexia display clear autistic traits, even once the eating disorder is under control and they have achieved a normal weight
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The similarities between anorexia and autism in women are also seen in a part of the brain which process social skills
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It has long been known that individuals with autism have disturbed eating behavior.
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After a year when their health had generally begun to improve, they still had the negative thought patterns and behavior around food that characterizes individuals with autism.
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New insight came to light during the research

A food smell that is unbearable, a dining companion making loud mouth noises or an aversion to the whole idea of eating together with others. These were the types of things that could make women regress long after the acute stage of anorexia. The autistic traits remained even after the body had been nourished and repaired.
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They actually also had problems with multi-tasking. Cutting food and chewing at the same time was a challenge, and this is something that is also prevalent in individuals with autism,”
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“The fact that this is hard for patients with anorexia is something that has not previously been noticed or understood. It may be suspected that this partly is to do with the food and weight anxiety, but it was so clear that it is also linked to social factors,” she continues.

What i believe the most important steps where in this research was the MRI scans

MRI scans also showed that women in the group had the same changes as women with autism in the parts of the brain linked to social cognition. This is due to thinning of the gray matter just behind the temple area, which was not present in the healthy comparison groups or in men with autism.

Source

Ive been doing research for a while now about autism, boys are easier to define with problems since their nature becomes enforced, but a woman is hard to define, but i believe this is a first step to see in early stage a woman/girl with autism, eating habits instead of social skills.

a reply to: tikbalang

Without doing further research, and as a very off-the-cuff comment, this research seems somewhat flawed by the fact that Anorexia can be cured. People can be rehabilitated, their eating habits can be changed, and their feelings towards food can be curbed to represent a more normal approach. I don't believe there's a cure for Autism.

Autism related:
Fetal meconium ingestion tied to autism risk:
spectrumnews.org

a reply to: tikbalang

There are similarities and obviously due to the type of black and white thinking styles common in ASD, people with autism are vulnerable to anorexia.

Having traits or behaviours similar to an ASD is not the same as having an ASD. I agree with you that it is harder to diagnose in girls and that they are often in their teens before a diagnosis is made. I'm not sure I would be so certain to immediately jump to the same conclusion as you though. Are you saying that in any case of an eating disorder, an autism diagnosis should be considered?

originally posted by: MrSensible
a reply to: tikbalang

Without doing further research, and as a very off-the-cuff comment, this research seems somewhat flawed by the fact that Anorexia can be cured. People can be rehabilitated, their eating habits can be changed, and their feelings towards food can be curbed to represent a more normal approach. I don't believe there's a cure for Autism.

So what expertise do you offer the table when your assumption is "This research seems flawed".
Is anorexia cured? Or do you change the habits, slowly? I believe if you put the person through trauma, the old habits is there again..

I can change it into something someone with opinions might understand better;" Mindfulness " Source

Problem with diagnosing the female sex with autism is hard, this provides a better tool for adjusting and helping people with anorexia.. But im sure you someone with opinions understands that?

a reply to: tikbalang

Thanks. F&S&


Yet another example of the medical system prioritizing men one women.

a reply to: soficrow

I believe that men with ASD can inflict more external damage and woman with ASD internal damage..

I don't think it was an issue over priority between genders, more the safekeeping and cost of the structure of society.

a reply to: tikbalang

Across the board, males and females have different symptoms of the same diseases. And also across the board, diagnostics and treatments in women lag behind by decades. Speaks to priorities.

a reply to: soficrow

I do however think and feel that;" Woman left untreated will do far more future damage, its short term goals vs long term goals " The offspring of untreated ASD in females will most likely nurture an environment fitting their needs, worst case scenario children, best case scenario, lots of cats.