Brain control during hunger and after eating in bulimia nervosa
Official title: Dynamic Neural Computations Underlying Cognitive Control in Bulimia Nervosa
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11243504 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether fasting versus eating changes brain signals that influence self-control in adults with bulimia nervosa.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | March 15, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $803,489 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH132786-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11243504 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) with a current diagnosis of bulimia nervosa who can undergo MRI scans and participate in smartphone-based monitoring are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without bulimia nervosa, those under 21, or individuals who cannot undergo MRI (for example due to metal implants or severe claustrophobia) would likely not be eligible or benefit from this project.
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers will combine MRI brain scans, computer modeling, and smartphone check-ins to track how control over eating changes when you are hungry versus after you eat. You may be asked to fast or to eat before some scan visits, report urges and behaviors in real time on your phone, and complete tasks in the scanner that measure decision-making and effort. The team will focus on frontostriatal brain circuits and on how the brain updates predictions and decides whether exerting control is worth the effort. The goal is to link those brain changes to episodes of bingeing and compensatory behaviors to identify possible treatment targets.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to brain-based targets for new or improved treatments that reduce binge and purge cycles.
How similar studies have gone: Prior brain imaging and mobile-monitoring work in eating disorders has shown control-related differences, but combining fMRI, computational modeling, and real-time tracking in bulimia is a relatively new and developing approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Berner, Laura a. — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Berner, Laura a.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How reward, motivation, and learning drive anorexia and bulimia
This project looks at how people with anorexia or bulimia experience pleasure, motivation, and learning about food to understand why disordered eating keeps happening.
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Understanding how exploration develops in adolescents with bulimia nervosa
This study is looking at how teenage girls with bulimia nervosa explore their surroundings and make decisions, by checking out how their brains work compared to girls without the condition, to better understand what might help them during this important time in their development.
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Understanding how people with anorexia and bulimia process rewards and learn from experiences
This study is looking at why some people with eating disorders, like anorexia and bulimia, struggle with food even when it hurts them, by exploring how their brains respond to rewards and learn from their experiences, and it invites patients to share their thoughts and feelings about eating.
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Understanding brain functions related to cognitive control in bulimia nervosa
This study is looking at how the brain works when people with bulimia nervosa make decisions about eating, to better understand how their control over food choices changes during eating and fasting, which could lead to new ways to help them.
-
Understanding how avoidance affects decision-making in anorexia and bulimia
This study is looking at how the way we learn to avoid bad experiences affects eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, with the hope of finding better ways to help people who struggle with these issues.
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Eating Disorder Dynamic Intervention
A digital program is tested to help adults with eating disorders by sending real-time, personalized coping tips based on smartphone surveys and sensor data.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.