Brain signs that predict relapse after anorexia treatment
Neural predictors of outcome during relapse prevention treatment for anorexia nervosa
This project looks at patterns of brain activity to help predict which adults with anorexia nervosa are likely to stay well after weight-restoration treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10773115 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, you would be scanned with fMRI to measure brain activity related to habits and food restriction after you reach a healthy weight in inpatient care. You would be enrolled in a relapse-prevention program called REACH+ and randomly assigned to different versions of the therapy. Researchers will compare brain scans and clinical outcomes to see which brain patterns relate to staying well or relapsing. The goal is to link brain measures to longer-term recovery following inpatient weight normalization.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with anorexia nervosa (age 21 and older) who have recently achieved weight restoration through inpatient treatment and are entering relapse-prevention care.
Not a fit: People under 21, those who have not recently been hospitalized and weight-restored, or individuals with unstable medical conditions may not be eligible or see direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Results could help identify who needs more intensive follow-up and steer people toward relapse-prevention approaches that fit their brain-behavior profile.
How similar studies have performed: Other psychiatric research has found that brain activity and connectivity can predict treatment response, but using neural predictors specifically for anorexia relapse prevention is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Muratore, Alexandra Felicia — New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
- Study coordinator: Muratore, Alexandra Felicia
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 below.