title: Fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) is associated to eating disorders susceptibility and moderates the expression of psychopathological traits.
abstract: Eating Disorders (EDs) show a multifactorial etiopathogenesis including environmental, psychological and biological factors. In the present study, we propose a model of interactions between genetic vulnerability-represented by Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated (FTO) gene-and stable psychopathological traits, such as bodily disorders and emotion dysregulation for EDs patients. The distribution of a polymorphism of the FTO (rs9939609 T>A) was evaluated in a series of 250 EDs patients and in a group of 119 healthy control subjects. Clinical data were collected through a face-to-face interview and several self-reported questionnaires were applied, including the Emotional Eating Scale and the IDentity and EAting disorders (IDEA) questionnaire for bodily disorders and self-identity. The A-allele was associated with an increased vulnerability to EDs (AA+AT genotypes frequency 72.8% in EDs vs. 52.9% in controls). The presence of the A-allele was associated with binge eating behavior, higher emotional eating and higher IDEA scores. Finally, the FTO rs9939609 SNP was found to influence the relationship between these variables, as an association between disorder of corporeality and emotional eating was found only in A-allele carriers. A-allele seems to represent a potential additive risk factor for EDs persons, with bodily disorders to develop emotional eating and binge eating behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health. University of Florence, Florence, Italy.|Sexual Medicine and Andrology Unit, Department of Experimental, Clinical and Biomedical Sciences. University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castellini
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio University" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Marica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Franzago
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health. University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bagnoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health. University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio University" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balsamo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio University" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health. University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nacmias
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health. University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Valdo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ricca
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health. University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sorbi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio University" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Antonucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio University" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Liborio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stuppia
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio University" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.|D. Portales' University, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stanghellini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO; C526492:FTO protein, human