Neural Correlates of Reward and Symptom Expression in Anorexia Nervosa
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The objective of this study is to identify the patterns of brain activity in reward circuitry that promote symptoms of anorexia nervosa. This project will compare weight-restored individuals with anorexia nervosa to a non-eating disorder control group on reward brain circuitry patterns in response to typically rewarding cues (i.e., entertaining videos) and disorder-specific restrictive eating cues (i.e., low-fat food choice) using fMRI. In addition, this study will examine which neurobiological reward responses among weight-restored individuals with anorexia nervosa predict objective restrictive eating (measured by laboratory meal intake) and longitudinal risk of relapse one year later.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
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Detailed Description
Aim 1: To compare patterns of brain activity in reward circuits to typically rewarding cues and disorder-specific cues between weight-restored individuals with anorexia nervosa and non-eating disorder controls
Hypothesis 1a: Activity in reward circuitry will be elevated in response to typically rewarding cues in the non-eating disorder control group versus weight-restored anorexia nervosa group.
Hypothesis 1b: Activity in reward circuitry will be elevated in response to disorder-specific in the weight-restored anorexia nervosa group versus the non-eating disorder control group.
Aim 2: To specify the relationship between brain patterns related to reward and restrictive eating among weight-restored individuals with anorexia nervosa
Hypothesis 2a: Lower reward circuit activity in response to typically rewarding cues will predict lower test meal intake for weight-restored anorexia nervosa group versus the non-eating disorder control group.
Hypothesis 2b: Higher reward circuit activity in response to disorder-specific cues will predict lower test meal intake for the weight-restored anorexia nervosa group versus the non-eating disorder control group.
Aim 3: To identify the brain patterns in reward circuitry associated with the risk of relapse among weight-restored individuals with anorexia nervosa in the year following weight-restoration.
Hypothesis 3a: Lower reward circuit activity in response to typically rewarding cues will predict relapse in the weight-restored anorexia nervosa group.
Hypothesis 3b: Higher reward circuit activity in response to disorder-specific cues will predict relapse in the weight-restored anorexia nervosa group.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Anorexia Nervosa, Weight Restored Individuals with a recent diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (within the past 6 months), who currently have their weight in a healthy range (BMI > or = 18.5 kg/m2) |
Other: No intervention
No intervention is being examined in this study
|
| Non-eating disorder Control Individuals without a history of an eating disorder and no current DSM-5 psychiatric diagnoses. |
Other: No intervention
No intervention is being examined in this study
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Brain activation in reward circuits [Baseline]
Activation in regions of interest in reward brain circuitry (i.e., ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens) in response to typically-rewarding and disorder-specific tasks
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Restrictive eating [Baseline]
Caloric consumption from a laboratory test meal
- Relapse [12 months]
Relapse from anorexia nervosa, defined as: BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 and/or binge eating and/or purging > 1x/week for 3 consecutive months
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
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Age > 18 years old
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Current BMI > 18.5 kg/m2
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Ability to read and speak in English
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Right-handed
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Weight restored Anorexia Nervosa group: 1) DSM-5 diagnosis of AN in the past 6 months, with the exception of body image disturbance and intense fear of weight gain criteria;
- BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 within past 6 months
Exclusion Criteria:
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Medical instability or current pregnancy
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Current substance use disorder, psychosis, or bipolar-I disorder
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Contraindication for fMRI
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History of neurological disorder/injury (e.g., stroke; head injury with > 10 minutes loss of consciousness)
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Food allergy that cannot be accommodated through substitutions to the laboratory test meal
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Lacking capacity to consent
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Non-eating disorder Control group: Current DSM-5 Axis-I diagnosis or current or past eating disorder diagnosis
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Minnesota | Minneapolis | Minnesota | United States | 55414 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- University of Minnesota
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Ann Haynos, PhD, University of Minnesota
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- PSYCH-2017-25878