Psychiatrist Jennifer Derenne specializes in eating disorders. Most eating disorders begin in adolescence, but they can appear much earlier – or later – in life, too. To begin healing, Derenne works with an interdisciplinary team to first stabilize and renourish her patients and uses evidence-based psychotherapy that incorporates strong family involvement. Recent clinical studies are exploring the use of psychedelics to open new avenues for treating these notoriously hard-to-treat illnesses. Eating disorders are a life-threatening medical condition, Derenne asserts, telling host Russ Altman that “food is the best medicine” on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu.

Episode Reference Links:

Stanford Profile: Jennifer L. Derenne, MD

Connect With Us:

Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website
Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon
Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Russ Altman introduces guest Jennifer Derenne, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University.

(00:03:11) Studying Eating Disorders

Jennifer’s path from pediatrics to psychiatry and studying eating disorders.

(00:03:44) Types of Eating Disorders

A breakdown of the main diagnoses and what distinguishes them.

(00:04:59) Who Gets Eating Disorders?

The age ranges of those affected and when symptoms first appear.

(00:05:46) Disordered Vs. Normal Eating

Distinguishing common weight concerns from dangerous dysfunction.

(00:07:15) Treating Teen Eating Disorders

Why family involvement is crucial and treatment focuses on behaviors.

(00:08:56) Genetics & Social Media

The different risk factors that can contribute to disordered eating.

(00:10:08) Smartphones & Mental Health

The impact of smartphones on the development of coping mechanisms.

(00:12:32) Transitioning to College

Why mental health can destabilize during the move to independence.

(00:15:51) Treating Eating Disorders

The multidisciplinary approach to treating disordered eating.

(00:18:39) Supervision & Safety

The importance of supervision and medical follow-ups to help prevent relapse.

(00:21:03) AI in Adolescent Psychiatry

The pros and cons of AI tools in adolescent mental health support.

(00:25:21) The Limits of Medication

How medications often target comorbidities rather than the eating disorder itself.

(00:27:08) Psychedelics Research

Emerging studies on using psychedelics in the treatment of eating disorders.

(00:29:47) Future In a Minute

Rapid-fire Q&A: curiosity, treatment optimism, and becoming a book editor.

(00:31:48) Conclusion

Connect With Us:

Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website

Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon

Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The future of eating disorders

The Future of Everything