Item – Theses Canada

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OCLC number
911202091
Link(s) to full text
LAC copy
Author
Groleau, Patricia,
Title
Genetic, epigenetic and developmental factors in bulimia-spectrum disorders : Influence of the dopamine system and childhood trauma on the clinical presentation and treatment response
Degree
Ph. D. -- McGill University, 2014
Publisher
[Montreal] : McGill University Libraries, [2014]
Description
1 online resource
Notes
Thesis supervisor: Howard Steiger (Supervisor).
Includes bibliographical references.
Abstract
"Bulimia Nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder characterized by excessive preoccupations with weight and shape, as well as by recurrent binge-eating episodes and compensatory behaviours performed to prevent weight gain. While all women with BN present the core eating-disorder symptoms just-described, the disorder is known to have various profiles of comorbid psychiatric disturbance. Variations as to clinical profiles are thought to reflect the involvement of different risk factors, and to be associated with different treatment needs. This doctoral dissertation had as its objective to examine the influence of developmental, genetic, and epigenetic factors on the clinical presentation in bulimia-spectrum disorders. More specifically, I explored associations between variations in eating-disorder and psychopathological symptoms, on the one hand, and childhood abuse, dopamine-system polymorphisms, gene-environment interaction effects involving the preceding two factors, and DNA methylation of the dopamine D2 receptor gene promoter, on the other. Finally, I investigated the prognostic value, for treatment response in bulimia-spectrum disorders, of childhood abuse and of dopamine-system polymorphisms. Four studies were conducted to address the objectives stated above. Taken together, findings from this doctoral dissertation suggest that clinical presentation in bulimia-spectrum disorders (and especially traits related to affective and behavioural disturbances), are associated with developmental adversity, genetic and epigenetic factors, as well as with gene-environment interactions effects. Our findings also suggest that traumatic childhood experiences may be a predictor of poorer treatment response of eating-disorder and comorbid symptoms. Our findings support biopsychosocial models of bulimia nervosa by documenting implications of biological and developmental risk factors in the presentation of symptoms and outcome of BN."--
Other link(s)
digitool.Library.McGill.CA
digitool.library.mcgill.ca