European University of Lefke (EUL) Faculty of Arts and Sciences Faculty Member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sultan Şehitoğlu Okumuşoğlu’s article titled “A Brief Overview of the Relationship of an Ancient Disease with Modern Eating Disorders: Pellegra and Anorexia Nervosa” was published in a journal indexed in Ulakbim-TR index, one of the important national indexes.

The article discusses the psychopathology of Anorexia Nervosa

In her article, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sultan Okumuşoğlu stated that Anorexia Nervosa psychopathology, which is known for its symptom of restricting food intake to starve itself to death with the desire to have the so-called “ideal body” as the most typical symptom among the “restrictive eating disorder psychopathologies”, provides information on Pellegra disease, which is characterised by vitamin deficiency for any reason, with three typical symptoms such as dermatitis, diarrhoea and dementia, and draws attention to the relationship between these two diseases. Okumuşoğlu stated in the article as follows: “In the article, the importance of interdisciplinary awareness about the symptoms of these two diseases, both of which can progress with serious and fatal consequences, and the possibility of their co-occurrence is mentioned.” Okumuşoğlu stated that the article provides information on the effects of the myth or misperception that Pellegra is an “ancient” disease that is no longer seen, and also draws attention to publications in the field that mention the relationship of a disease such as pellagra with various rapidly changing social factors such as increasing poverty.

In her article, Okumuşoğlu emphasised that it is important that individuals with restrictive type eating disorder psychopathology should also be evaluated for the possibility of Pellegra, as well as the necessity of directing people who have dermatological problems and who apply to various professionals for help with cosmetic concerns to be evaluated for the possibility of eating disorders.

Okumuşoğlu provided the following information about her study; It is explained that the myth that Pellegra disease is an ancient disease that is no longer seen due to the addition of additives – various vitamins and similar micronutrients – to foods is not true. It is pointed out that this misconception may cause professionals from various different disciplines to overlook the diagnosis of the patient. In this case, it is emphasised that the perception/prejudice that an “ancient” disease such as Pellegra can no longer be seen today is particularly effective or that some professionals may not be sufficiently aware of this disease, which requires interdisciplinary awareness.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sultan Okumuşoğlu concluded her article by pointing out that interdisciplinary awareness of the relationship and symptoms of these two disorders is important in terms of rapid diagnosis and treatment of patients, and underlined that the importance of the issue is emphasised by studies in the world literature, but the scarcity of related academic publications in Turkey, which can be easily accessed by professionals from different disciplines, is worrying.