title: Genetic analysis of bulimia nervosa: methods and sample description.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Twin and family studies suggest that genetic variants contribute to the pathogenesis of bulimia nervosa (BN) and anorexia nervosa (AN). The Price Foundation has supported an international, multisite study of families with these disorders to identify these genetic variations. The current study presents the clinical characteristics of this sample as well as a description of the study methodology.
  
  
  METHODS
  All probands met modified criteria for BN or bulimia nervosa with a history of AN (BAN) as defined in the 4th ed. of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). All affected relatives met DSM-IV criteria for BN, AN, BAN, or eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS). Probands and affected relatives were assessed diagnostically using both trained-rater and self-report assessments. DNA samples were collected from probands, affected relatives, and available biologic parents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Assessments were obtained from 163 BN probands and 165 BAN probands. Overall, there were 365 relative pairs available for linkage analysis. Of the affected relatives of BN probands, 62 were diagnosed as BN (34.8%), 49 as BAN (27.5%), 35 as AN (19.7%), and 32 as EDNOS (18.0%). For the relatives of BAN probands, 42 were diagnosed as BN (22.5%), 67 as BAN (35.8%), 48 as AN (25.7%), and 30 as EDNOS (16.0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study represents the largest genetic study of eating disorders to date. Clinical data indicate that although there are a large number of individuals with BN disorders, a range of eating pathology is represented in the sample, allowing for the examination of several different phenotypes in molecular genetic analyses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. kayewh@msx.upmc.edu
authors.forename: Walter H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.forename: Bernie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Devlin
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barbarich
authors.forename: Cynthia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bulik
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: Silviu-Alin
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bacanu
authors.forename: Manfred M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fichter
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Halmi
authors.forename: Allan S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strober
authors.forename: D Blake
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Woodside
authors.forename: Andrew W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Bergen
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crow
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rotondo
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mauri
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cassano
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Keel
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Plotnicov
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pollice
authors.forename: Kelly L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Klump
authors.forename: Lisa R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Lilenfeld
authors.forename: J Kelly
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ganjei
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Quadflieg
authors.forename: Wade H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Berrettini
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002032:Bulimia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D008040:Genetic Linkage / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D010641:Phenotype; D013694:Temperament; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology