Dear Body, Dear Mind

Why Does Anorexia Persist? A Look at the Brain

Why can anorexia nervosa be so difficult to overcome? This episode explores neuroscience research suggesting that differences in reward learning and habit formation may contribute to the persistence of the illness, offering new insights into how the brain changes throughout recovery.

The Hidden Biology of Eating Disorders with Dr. Cynthia Bulik

This episode features an interview with Cynthia Bulik, a leading expert in eating disorder research and treatment. Explore the science behind eating disorders, including genetics, neuroscience, behavior, and emerging research on the gut-brain connection, while examining how these illnesses are far more complex than common misconceptions suggest. Interested in contributing to eating disorder research? Learn more about the Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative and how to participate here: https://edgi2.org/ [https://edgi2.org/]

When Self-Control Feels Out of Control: The Brain in Bulimia Nervosa

This episode explores the neuroscience of bulimia nervosa and how self-control circuits in the brain can become disrupted. Learn why behaviors can feel out of control and how brain-based understanding can support recovery.

The Science of Starvation and the Brain

This episode explores the Minnesota Starvation Study and how restriction affects the brain and body. Learn how food preoccupation, emotional changes, and eating behaviors can be driven by starvation and why nourishment is key to recovery. Learn more about the study here: https://psychiatry.duke.edu/blog/starvation-experiment

What Brain Connectivity Can Tell Us About Anorexia

This episode explores a neuroscience study on brain connectivity in anorexia nervosa based on research by Blair Uniacke and colleagues . Learn how changes in habit circuits and brain networks help explain rigid thinking, repetitive behaviors, and why recovery involves both the body and the brain. Read more about the study here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30590873/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30590873/]