ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06138782
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is being studied as a treatment for Anorexia Nervosa (AN). It involves non-invasive electromagnetic brain stimulation at the orbitofrontal cortex. TMS is also regularly used to treat other neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Both AN and OCD are characterized by the propensity toward cognitive inflexibility. Since TMS is an effective FDA-cleared treatment for OCD, the researchers believe that it may also be an effective treatment for AN.
There are two groups for this study that each have a separate purpose. The purpose of the first group (ages 14 – 45) is to evaluate long-term changes in the brain specific to habit-directed networks in participants with anorexia nervosa (AN). Participants in this group will undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at least 5 times over a 10-month period. Participants in this first group will not receive rTMS treatment.
The purpose of the second group (ages 18 - 45) is to determine if rTMS is effective in treating AN. Participants in this group will receive rTMS treatment for 10 days (2 consecutive weeks). Each day will involve 5 rTMS treatments over the course of 5 hours. Participants in this group will also undergo fMRI before the first TMS treatment and after the final TMS treatment.
We are currently recruiting for both groups.
Please email [email protected] if you are interested in participating or have any questions about the study.