The Foundation for Research and Education in Eating Disorders
(FREED) and the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center (HBTRC) at McLean Hospital
today announced the establishment of the first and only national brain bank
dedicated to research in eating disorders.
The National Eating Disorders Brain Bank is a resource to the
community to help advance studies to find the causes of eating disorders which,
in turn, will drive breakthroughs in the search for treatments that are
desperately lacking for these neuropsychiatric illnesses. The brain bank will
also provide researchers with the opportunity to examine the impact of altered
nutrition on the brain.
More than 30 million Americans are impacted by eating
disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating
disorder. These complex conditions can have a profoundly negative impact on
those who are affected as well as their families. They are increasingly being
recognized as public health concerns. “Eating
disorders are associated with the highest rates of health problems, death and
suicide among all mental illnesses, but it remains unclear as to what causes
these conditions and who are at risk,” notes Dr. Kevin St. P. McNaught,
executive director of FREED. “The brain bank will allow researchers to explore
the central nervous system to gain a better understanding of the biology of
eating disorders.”
“Currently,
only one drug is specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration to
treat individuals with binge eating disorder, and none are FDA-approved for the
other eating disorders diagnoses,” said Dr. Stuart Koman, co-founder of FREED
and chief executive officer of Walden Behavioral Care,
a full system of specialized care for individuals and families impacted by all
types of eating disorders. “I expect that the national brain bank will help to
evaluate and identify structural brain tissue changes and other underlying
mechanisms that can be targeted to develop much needed treatments for the
millions of people impacted by eating disorders.”
The HBTRC is
internationally renowned as a brain tissue repository for neurological and
psychiatric brain disorders, including several focused brain collections. “We
have long recognized the need to develop similar resources to support research
into eating disorders, and are delighted to establish this partnership with
FREED to launch this program,” said Dr. Sabina Berretta, scientific director of
the HBTRC. Dr. Wilson Woo, medical director of the HBTRC, added, “The National
Eating Disorders Brain Collection will represent an invaluable asset to a
growing research community focused on eating disorders.”
The national
brain bank is in its early developmental stage and in the months and years
ahead will drive innovations as have occurred in other neuropsychiatric and
neurological disorders. “This incredible resource is a vital priority
for the eating disorders community and will require broad support to help
alleviate the suffering that millions of children, adolescents and adults with
these conditions experience,” said William Mosakowski, chief executive officer
of Public Partnerships, LLC and a founding sponsor of FREED and the brain bank
program.
(This article was adapted from a press release issued by McLean and FREED)
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