Faces and phases of epistemic curiosity in science learning: A longitudinal study.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe eating disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight and a disrupted body image, leading to extreme caloric restriction and severe malnutrition, which, in the most severe cases, can be fatal []. This condition is often associated with high rates of morbidity and comorbidities, including anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders []. Although AN affects individuals of all genders and age, most existing studies have focused on adult populations or older adolescents, with an average age well beyond the completion of puberty [–]. However, in recent years, there has been an increase in cases of AN in paediatric populations—occurring before or during early adolescence—with clinical features that differ from those observed in later-onset cases [, ]. This trend raises specific questions regarding how AN interferes with ongoing growth and pubertal maturation and whether epigenetic changes differ in this younger age group compared to adults. Puberty, in fact, represents a particularly vulnerable window for the development of eating disorders in females. Hormonal changes, including fluctuations in estrogen and gonadotropins, together with body image revaluations accompanying sexual maturation, increase the risk of onset and chronicity of AN during early adolescence [–]. Conversely, AN is known to disrupt normal pubertal development: affected girls frequently present with primary or secondary amenorrhea as consequence of severe caloric restriction and marked weight loss [, ]. These conditions lead to a functional reduction in gonadotropin secretion (LH and FSH), resulting in a state of functional hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Such endocrine alterations are not mere comorbidities but reflect profound metabolic imbalances that may have long-term consequences for bone health, fertility, and overall wellbeing []. In parallel, over the past decade, epigenetics—particularly DNA methylation—has emerged as a crucial link between genetic predisposition and environmental influences, such as stress, dietary restriction, and metabolic alterations [].