Explanations for Anorexia Nervosa

NEURAL EXPLANATIONS :

Serotonin - Disturbances in this chemical is associated with eating disorders.
Dopamine - KAYE used a pet scan to compare the actuvity of 10 women suffering from AN and 12 healthy women. In the AN women, they found overactivity in Dopamine. Thus, the women found it hard to accept rewards and to see food as a reward.
Pregnancy & Birth -  LINGBERG & HJERN found an association between premature births and AN. Birth complications such as hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain) may lea to impairing of neuro development in the child. Mothers with AN expose their children to a "double disadvantage" (inadequate nutrition during pregnancy AND possible genetic transmission of AN)
Season of Birth - people with AN are more likely to be born in the spring. Due to the temperature at time of conception, infection more likely, leading to less neuro development.

BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS : 

Diathesis-Stress - genetic vulnerability or predisposition to develop a disorder, but its development has an environmental trigger…