CBT Effects on Neural, Physiological, and Attentional Responses in Anorexia Nervosa
Recruiting now · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Eating Disorders (Excluding Anorexia Nervosa)
In brief
This randomized controlled trial investigates the neurophysiological, physiological, and attentional effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in individuals with restrictive-type anorexia nervosa (AN). The study compares two groups: one receiving a 12-week CBT intervention, and one placed on a waitlist (no active treatment during the study period). All participants undergo pre- and post-intervention assessments using electroencephalography (EEG), galvanic skin response (GSR), and eye-tracking while exposed to visual stimuli related to food, body image, and self-appearance. The primary outcomes include neural changes in attention and emotional processing (P300, LPP, frontal alpha asymmetry), physiological arousal (skin conductance), and visual attention biases (fixation duration and gaze distribution). The aim is to determine whether CBT leads to measurable improvements in neurobiological and attentional mechanisms related to body image disturbance and food-related anxiety in AN, contributing to biomarker-informed psychotherapy approaches.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT07037017
- Run by
- Istanbul Nisantasi University
- People needed
- 60
- Starts
- 2025-05-15
- Expected to finish
- 2025-10-15
- Last updated by the study team
- 2025-06-25
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 35. Sex: female. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Female participants aged 18 to 35
- Meeting DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for restrictive-type anorexia nervosa
- Body Mass Index (BMI) between 15.0 and 18.5
- Medically stable to participate in psychological and neurophysiological assessments
- Willingness to participate in weekly therapy sessions (for the CBT group) and to complete pre- and post-assessments
- Ability to provide informed consent
You may not qualify if…
- Current or past diagnosis of bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, or other eating disorders
- Presence of comorbid severe psychiatric disorders (e.g., psychosis, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder)
- History of neurological illness or traumatic brain injury
- Use of psychotropic medication within the last 6 weeks
- Prior participation in structured Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for an eating disorder
- Pregnancy
- Visual or neurological impairments that would prevent accurate EEG, GSR, or eye-tracking recordings
Where it is running
- Üsküdar University Neuro Marketing Lab. — Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye) (enrolling)
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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