Scientists Discover Unexpected Gene That May Increase the Risk of Anorexia
21:48 8 October, 2026Anorexia may be linked not only to brain function and behavioral traits. Scientists have identified a gene that is primarily active in fat tissue and muscles, with rare variants found significantly more often in people with anorexia nervosa. The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry.
The gene in question is PLIN4, which plays a role in how cells store fat. Researchers identified rare, potentially damaging variants of the gene in 17 of 154 patients with anorexia — approximately 11%. By comparison, such variants were found in around 3% of the healthy control population. This means that the participants carrying these genetic changes were almost four times as common in the patient group.
One particularly interesting finding was where the gene is active. PLIN4 is expressed mainly in fat tissue and muscles, rather than in the brain. This could indicate that, in some people, a predisposition to anorexia is linked to how the body stores and uses energy.
Until now, much of the research into anorexia has focused on the brain, psychological traits, and eating behavior. Genetic factors are known to play a substantial role in the development of the disorder: close relatives of people with anorexia have a significantly higher risk than the general population. However, the specific genetic mechanisms underlying this predisposition remain poorly understood.
The researchers emphasize that anorexia is a complex disorder involving many genetic variants. The discovery of PLIN4 therefore does not mean that this gene causes the condition. Rather, it may be one component of a more complex biological system that influences the risk of developing the disorder.
For the study, the scientists selected 154 patients with a particularly strong family history of anorexia, repeated treatment failures, or unusual features of the disorder. Six patients were found to have especially serious changes in PLIN4 that could potentially disrupt the gene's function. In four families, the same genetic feature was also identified in a close relative with an eating disorder.
The authors suggest that further research into fat metabolism could help explain why some people develop anorexia. They plan to look for other genetic changes that may affect fat storage and to examine patients' fat tissue for characteristics associated with the disorder.