RecruitingNCT04917068

Neurobiological and Psychological Maintenance Mechanisms Associated With Anticipatory Reward in Bulimia Nervosa

Sponsor

University of Minnesota

Enrollment

100 participants

Start Date

Apr 1, 2022

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Conditions

Bulimia Nervosa

Summary

The purpose of this investigation is to identify the potentially crucial role of anticipatory reward mechanisms maintaining bulimic behavior (i.e., binge eating and purging) in bulimia nervosa (BN). The research will investigate neural and psychological anticipatory processes in BN, both in the scanner and the natural environment.

Eligibility

Min Age: 18 YearsMax Age: 55 Years

Inclusion Criteria9

Bulimia nervosa (BN) and healthy control (HC) groups:
Right-handed
Ability to read and speak in English
BN group only:
Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) diagnosis of BN (i.e., at least one objective bulimic episode and one self-induced vomiting episode per week for at three months) with binge episodes always accompanied by self-induced vomiting
Stable dose for at least 6 weeks of any recent changes in medication impacting mood, appetite, or weight
HC group only:
No binge eating or purging episodes for the past three months on the EDE
No current or past history of an eating disorder as diagnosed by Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders

Exclusion Criteria10

History of gastric bypass surgery
Medical condition acutely affecting eating behavior and/or weight (i.e., pregnancy, lactation, thyroid disease)
Current medical or psychiatric instability (i.e., hospitalization required in the past three months)
Lifetime history of psychosis or bipolar disorder
History of neurological disorder or injury (i.e., stoke, head injury with >10 minutes loss of consciousness)
Current substance use disorder
BMI less than 19 kg/m\^2
Acute suicidality requiring hospitalization
fMRI exclusions as specifiedd by the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research
Food allergy that cannot be accommodated through substitutions to the laboratory test snack