Karolinska Institutet Centre for Eating Disorders Karolinska Institutet - Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics
The Karolinska Institutet Centre for Eating Disorders Innovation aims to push the boundaries of research in the area of eating disorders by engaging scientists from a variety of disciplines to rapidly accelerate our understanding of the causes of and treatments for eating disorders. They appl novel and emerging methodologies and technologies to elucidate causal mechanisms underlying eating disorders. Our ultimate goal is to rigorously apply findings from genetic, biological, and environmental risk investigations to refine and personalize detection, prevention, and treatment of eating disorders. CEDI are dedicated to mentorship of trainees at all levels to cultivate the next generation of eating disorders scientists. From neuroscience to clinical research, our faculty and global collaborators are dedicated to our education mission. In addition, we are passionate about dissemination of science. Through public lectures, invited lectures, publications, media, and social media, we will translate often complex scientific results into readily understandable concepts for the public.
CEDI is a centre for eating disorder research that aims to significantly expand our knowledge about eating disorders by bringing together researchers from different scientific disciplines and by examining eating disorders with new eyes. They aim to reach an all-encompassing understanding of the role that both genetics and the environment play in the risk and development of eating disorders. Ongoing research projects include:
- The Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI): the world's largest study on how genetic and environmental factors affect the risk of developing eating disorders. EDGI is a global initiative and similar studies are underway in the USA, England, Australia and New Zealand with a common goal of reaching a total of 100,000 participants with eating disorders.
- The Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative (ANGI): the largest genetic study of anorexia nervosa to date in the world. Together with colleagues in the United States, Denmark, Australia and New Zealand, we have collected DNA from more than 15,000 individuals with anorexia nervosa and matched them against others who have never had an eating disorder. We have now read out the entire genome to identify genes that affect the risk of anorexia nervosa and help us understand the underlying biology and improve treatment.
- Binge Eating Genetics INitiative (BEGIN) Research Study: genetic studies of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. The study is conducted both in the US and Sweden and we have collected DNA and stool samples from people with both these diseases and from healthy control subjects to be able to identify genes and microbiological factors related to the diseases. BEGIN will be the first major study where we try to understand how the human gene set and intestinal bacteria interact both in disease development and continued morbidity in bulimia and binge eating disorder.
- Comprehensive Risk Evaluation for Anorexia Nervosa in Twins (CREAT): a study of identical twins who are discordant for anorexia nervosa (i.e. that one twin is healthy and that the other has or has had the disease). The peculiarity of such a study model is that identical twins share their entire gene set, so if differences are discovered between them, it can show us where to look for causes for this destructive disease.
- COVID-ED Sweden: the project investigates how people with eating disorder experience, either current or previous eating disorder, experience the period during the Corona pandemic.
- Investigation of the Microbiome in Anorexia Nervosa (IMA): interactions between genetic factors and the composition of the microbiome (bacterial flora) in Anorexia Nervosa are studied. The study is carried out in collaboration with the Stockholm Centre for Eating Disorders (SCÄ) and the collection of data and samples has been completed. The diversity and difference in composition of the microbiome is examined over a six-year period in study participants with severe, long-term Anorexia with or without weight gain and compared with a control group. Metabolic, hormonal and immunological markers are also investigated in the study.
- Binge eating disorder in national registries: a number of studies together with Swedish quality registers for eating disorders Riksät and Stepwise as well as with colleagues at the Stockholm Center for Eating Disorders (SCÄ) to understand more about binge eating disorder, how often it occurs together with other psychiatric diseases such as depression or anxiety, how often medical complications occur and how people with binge eating disorder use medications and healthcare in general.
- Eating disorders in the Swedish Twin Registry and the Population Register: using the epidemiological data available in Sweden, students and researchers at CEDI can study a number of important research questions related to eating disorders throughout life.
- LEAP: a study on compulsive training
- Polygenic Risk of Anorexia Nervosa and its Clinical Expression (PACE) is an interdisciplinary project that looks at the relationship between genetics and subjective experiences of anorexia nervosa. It uses qualitative interviews and psychological data to examine experiences of "negative energy balance" (i.e., starvation and hunger), self-image, family patterns, and treatment relationships in groups of people with first-hand experience of anorexia nervosa who have high and low levels of genetic risk factors, respectively. PACE focuses on how genetic and psychological factors interact in anorexia nervosa and will contribute to the development of psychological and educational aids that can be used to solve important clinical challenges.
Organisation
Country: Sweden
