Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa: a Randomized Control Trial
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Date
2022-05
Authors
Angelow, Elissaveta
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While most prior research supports psychosocial intervention for Anorexia Nervosa (AN), it has proven to be largely ineffective, with an average of 54% of patients unable to recover fully and 20% remaining chronically ill at a 12-year follow-up (Steinhausen, 2002). Advances in the treatment of AN are desperately needed to improve the prognosis of AN patients, especially since cases have exponentially risen since 2020 (Katella, 2021). Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive technique that has been proven to be highly effective for treatment-resistant depression (Leggett, 2015). Although some studies have shown similar efficacy in AN remission (physiological and psychological), it is still unclear whether these improvements should be attributed to the remission of depression (Hecht, 2010). This grant proposal aims to determine whether tDCS treatment can prove effective in non-comorbid AN patients, which account for the majority of the disorder demographic (National Eating Disorders Association, 2022). We propose a 6-week tri-weekly tDCS treatment of non-comorbid AN patients at an eating recovery center. AN symptomology will be measured using Eating Attitude Test (EAT-40), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE), the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT), and the Body Mass Index (BMI). A repeated measures between-subject and within-subject design will compare outcomes measures, including pre-intervention, pot-intervention, and a 1-month follow-up. The outcomes of this study will help determine whether tDCS can be implemented as a treatment option for all AN patients or whether it is only effective in co-morbid populations.