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Active, Not Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT06138782

Identifying Networks Underlying Compulsivity in Anorexia Nervosa for Targeting With Neuromodulation

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of refractory Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by restrictive eating leading to low weight and associated complications. There is an emerging understanding that the symptoms of OCD and AN overlap as AN can be characterized by obsessive thought patterns around food and compulsive restricting and weight loss behaviors. Both conditions are characterized by a propensity toward cognitive inflexibility and the conditions may share neural substrates that maintain maladaptive habitual behaviors and cognitive rigidity. An evidence-based repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) target for OCD is the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). The investigators intend to determine if the OFC is also a potential rTMS target for AN and to determine if there is a characteristic pattern of functional network reorganization as characterized by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in TMS responders.

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

Key information

Conditions

Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia Anxiety Disorders Feeding and Eating Disorders Mental Disorders Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms, Digestive

Age range

16 year–75 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of California, San Francisco

San Francisco, California, 94107, United States

About this study

To determine if accelerated theta burst rTMS can treat symptoms of AN and normalize abnormal network connectivity, the investigators will enroll 20 patients with AN (aged 16-45) to receive five treatments of inhibitory continuous theta burst rTMS to the right orbitofrontal cortex (R OFC) lasting three minutes delivered every hour over the course of 10 days (2 weeks) for a total of 50 treatments, with follow-up immediately post-treatment, and at 1 month. Clinical symptom change will be determined with weight gain from percent expected body weight (%EBW) and clinical interview with the Eating Disorders Examination (EDE) as well as validated self-report. For Hypothesis 1: At 1-month post-rTMS, the investigators expect increased %EBW, and meaningful reductions in AN compulsive symptoms per the EDE. For Hypothesis 2: The investigators intend to identify changes in the default mode network comparing before and after TMS that are associated with an improvement in AN compulsive symptoms.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • outpatients
  • ages 16 - 75 for Aim 2
  • meets Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria for AN
  • stable on chronic psychotropic medications for 4 weeks prior to the study and agreeable to continue throughout the study
  • participants may continue to take medications and record daily usage throughout the study
  • capacity to provide informed consent
  • ability to tolerate clinical study procedures
  • successfully complete the screening forms without any contraindications

Exclusion criteria

  • Psychiatric: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, prior psychosurgery, prior electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
  • Neurologic: severe neurocognitive disorder, seizure disorder, certain structural brain lesions (e.g., intracranial mass lesions, hydrocephalus, sequelae of meningitis)
  • TMS contraindications: implanted device; presence of metal in the head, including eyes and ears (excluding dental implants); certain tics; medications or systemic illness that predispose seizure risk
  • Subjects with an unstable physical, systemic, or metabolic disorder (e.g., unstable hypertension)
  • Females who are pregnant or nursing
  • Inability to complete the research study

Treatment and study plan

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

Device

Our protocol consists of five treatments of inhibitory continuous TBS (cTBS) to the R OFC lasting three minutes delivered every hour over the course of 10 days (2 weeks) for a total of 50 treatments.

Primary outcomes

  1. Eating Disorders Examination - Questionnaire (EDE-Q)

    Time frame: Baseline; day 1, 5, & 10 of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).

    The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) is a 28-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess the range, frequency and severity of behaviours associated with a diagnosis of an eating disorder. It is categorised into 4 subscales (Restraint, Eating Concern, Shape Concern and Weight Concern) and an overall global score, with a higher score indicating more problematic eating difficulties.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)

    Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).

    The Y-BOCS is a 10-item ordinal scale (0-4) that rates the severity separately for both obsessions and compulsions of OCD according to the time occupied, degree of interference, subjective distress, internal resistance, and degree of control. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.

  2. Compulsive Exercise Test (CET)

    Time frame: Baseline; day 1, 5, & 10 of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).

    The CET is a 24-item self-report measure designed to assess the core features of excessive exercise in the eating disorders. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.

  3. State Trait Anxiety Index (STAI)

    Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).

    The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) is a 40-item self-report measure of anxiety using a 4-point Likert-type scale (from 0 to 3 points) for each item. It has two scales: State anxiety, i.e. how one feels at the moment; and Trait anxiety, i.e. how one generally feels. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.

  4. Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA)

    Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).

    Ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) study people's thoughts and behavior in their daily lives by repeatedly collecting data in an individual's normal environment, at or close to the time that the individual carries out that behavior. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.

  5. Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)

    Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).

    The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) is a diagnostic questionnaire which psychiatrists use to measure the severity of depressive episodes in patients with mood disorders. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.

  6. Hamilton Self-Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D)

    Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).

    The HAM-D is a multiple-item questionnaire used to provide an indication of depression, and as a guide to evaluate recovery. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.

  7. Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale - short form (IUS-12)

    Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).

    The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS) includes items relating to the idea that uncertainty is unacceptable, reflects badly on a person, and leads to frustration, stress, and the inability to take action. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.

  8. Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire-10 (RTQ-10)

    Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).

    The Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire (RTQ) was developed by combining items from commonly used measures of worry, rumination, and post-event processing, and then modifying the items to remove diagnosis-specific content. It is used to measure repetitive negative thinking. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of California, San Francisco

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Nov 18, 2023
Registry last updated
May 1, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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