A Neurocognitive Model of Anorexia Nervosa

New York State Psychiatric Institute

Status: Completed

Conditions: Anorexia Nervosa

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT00325520

#5984R

K23MH076195-01A2 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to investigate thought processes and neural mechanisms that may contribute to the development of habitual behaviors. The investigators hypothesize that patients with AN will perform differently than people without eating disorders on a series of neuropsychological tasks and will show different neural activation patterns in functional neuroimaging scans.

Full description

Patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) have extreme difficulty changing their eating behavior, even when they express desire for change. These behaviors seem to override all other potential responses, and can appear perseverative, or habitual. The purpose of this study is to investigate thought processes and neural mechanisms that may contribute to the development of habitual behaviors. The investigators hypothesize that patients with AN will perform differently than people without eating disorders on a series of neuropsychological tasks and will show different neural activation patterns in functional neuroimaging scans.

Enrollment: 152 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 16 to 45 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion:

• DSM-IV-TR™ diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (restricting or binge-purge subtype), current or prior;
• Age 16-45;
• Inpatient on GCRU
• Medically stable.

Exclusion:

• Any other current major Axis I disorder (including current bulimia nervosa), except major depression;
• History of concussion, seizure disorder, or other neurological illness;
• History of learning disability;
• Acute Suicidality

Healthy comparison group:

Inclusion:

• No current or past psychiatric illness;
• Age 16-45
• No history of binge eating or vomiting;
• Normal weight (80%-120% ideal body weight)

Exclusion:

• Significant medical or neurologic illness(concussion, seizure disorder, learning disability, other neurological illness)
• Current psychotropic medication or medications known to impact cognition

Additional Exclusion Criteria for fMRI:

• Significant Claustrophobia
• Pregnancy
• Indwelling metallic object, non-removable metal jewelry, medicinal patch or recent metallic ink tattoo
• For patients, current psychotropic medications (antidepressants for 2 week (prozac and antipsychotics for 4 weeks)
• For patients, any other current Axis I diagnosis

Trial design

152 participants in 2 patient groups

Anorexia nervosa

Description:

Individuals with anorexia nervosa receiving inpatient treatment

Healthy controls