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Changes in genetic risk for emotional eating across the menstrual cycle: a longitudinal study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 July 2015

K. L. Klump ,
B. A. Hildebrandt ,
S. M. O'Connor ,
P. K. Keel ,
M. Neale ,
C. L. Sisk ,
S. Boker  and
S. A. Burt
K. L. Klump*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
B. A. Hildebrandt
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
S. M. O'Connor
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
P. K. Keel
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
M. Neale
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychiatry, Human Genetics, and Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Charlottesville, VA, USA
C. L. Sisk
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
S. Boker
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Richmond, VA, USA
S. A. Burt
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
*
*Address for correspondence: K. L. Klump, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 316 Physics Road – Room 107B Psychology, East Lansing, MI 48824-1116, USA. (Email: klump@msu.edu)
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Abstract

Background

Previous studies have shown significant within-person changes in binge eating and emotional eating across the menstrual cycle, with substantial increases in both phenotypes during post-ovulation. Increases in both estradiol and progesterone levels appear to account for these changes in phenotypic risk, possibly via increases in genetic effects. However, to date, no study has examined changes in genetic risk for binge phenotypes (or any other phenotype) across the menstrual cycle. The goal of the present study was to examine within-person changes in genetic risk for emotional eating scores across the menstrual cycle.

Method

Participants were 230 female twin pairs (460 twins) from the Michigan State University Twin Registry who completed daily measures of emotional eating for 45 consecutive days. Menstrual cycle phase was coded based on dates of menstrual bleeding and daily ovarian hormone levels.

Results

Findings revealed important shifts in genetic and environmental influences, where estimates of genetic influences were two times higher in post- as compared with pre-ovulation. Surprisingly, pre-ovulation was marked by a predominance of environmental influences, including shared environmental effects which have not been previously detected for binge eating phenotypes in adulthood.

Conclusions

Our study was the first to examine within-person shifts in genetic and environmental influences on a behavioral phenotype across the menstrual cycle. Results highlight a potentially critical role for these shifts in risk for emotional eating across the menstrual cycle and underscore the need for additional, large-scale studies to identify the genetic and environmental factors contributing to menstrual cycle effects.

Keywords

Emotional eatingenvironmental influencesgenetic influencesmenstrual cycleovarian hormones
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 45 , Issue 15 , November 2015 , pp. 3227 - 3237
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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