# Utilising genomic association data for causal inference in anorexia nervosa

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how genetic data can help understand anorexia nervosa and identify potential treatment targets.

## Contribution

The paper summarizes recent progress in using genetic data to infer causal relationships in anorexia nervosa.

## Key findings

- Genome-wide association studies reveal genetic influences on anorexia nervosa risk.
- Statistical methods using genetic data can identify potential biological pathways.
- Current analyses have not yet led to clinically validated treatments for the disorder.

## Abstract

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder with high rates of mortality and limited treatment options. AN is a complex disorder, for which common variation contributes to disorder risk. To dissect the genetic architecture of AN, a variety of statistical methods can be applied. Many of these utilise genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets to investigate biological mechanisms within disease progression in addition to broader associations between complex traits. GWAS for AN have revealed important biological insights, however, these have not translated into new pharmacotherapies. Here, we review the application of statistical methods that use GWAS, to investigate the relationship between genetic variation, biochemical compounds and complex traits to identify potential relationships which could advance our understanding of disease biology. We discuss genetic variant association data for AN, the application of gene-based and complex trait level correlation methods and approaches for establishing evidence of causality between complex traits and AN. These methods all contribute to the growing literature regarding the genetic influences of AN risk and demonstrate that statistical analysis utilising genetic data is a valuable tool to progress our understanding of this disease.

Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric disorder influenced by both genetic and environmental components. Aspects of anorexia nervosa include excessive energy restriction, fear of gaining weight and an inaccurate perception of oneself. Consequences of this disorder can be fatal, and no current medications are approved to target the underlying causes of the disease. The recent availability of data dissecting genetic influences on the disorder provides a promising avenue to identify potential treatment opportunities which are desperately needed. This data, which contains information about millions of genetic variants and how they relate to disease risk, can be leveraged to analyse potential risk factors and biological pathways related to the disease. However, these analyses have yet to eventuate into clinically validated treatments. Here we present a summary of recent progress in the use of genetic data to identify potential treatment targets for anorexia nervosa. Additionally, we present which risk factors have the most evidence to support their potentially causal role in anorexia nervosa risk.