Understanding how people with anorexia and bulimia process rewards and learn from experiences
Official title: Incentive Processing and Learning in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11046539 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2022 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $634,076 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH125880-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11046539 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals aged 21 and older who are diagnosed with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have an eating disorder or are under the age of 21 may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the complex motivations behind eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, focusing on how individuals process rewards and learn from their experiences related to food. By examining the brain's reward systems, the study aims to identify why some individuals engage in harmful eating behaviors despite negative consequences. The research employs a multi-dimensional framework to assess how feelings of 'liking' and 'wanting' food, along with learning from past experiences, contribute to these disorders. Patients may participate in assessments that explore their eating behaviors and responses to rewards.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for eating disorders by improving our understanding of the underlying motivations and learning processes involved.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of applying a multi-dimensional framework to reward processing in eating disorders is relatively novel, similar studies in other areas of psychology have shown promising results.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wierenga, Christina E — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Wierenga, Christina E
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 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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Understanding how habits influence anorexia nervosa and its remission
A research study will explore how habitual eating patterns and brain systems keep anorexia nervosa going, and how these habits might change when people recover.
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Online guided self-help family-based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa
A study is testing a guided self-help version of a proven family-based therapy to help adolescents with anorexia nervosa receive effective treatment more efficiently in real-world clinics.
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Ketogenic Diet for Weight-Recovered Anorexia Nervosa to Support Metabolism and Eating-Disorder Symptoms
A research project will test a ketogenic diet to see if it helps people who have recovered weight from anorexia nervosa by normalizing brain metabolism and reducing core eating-disorder thoughts and behaviors.
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Point-of-care RH risk tool for refeeding in anorexia nervosa
A quick, clinician-friendly risk tool helps predict who with anorexia nervosa might develop dangerous low phosphorus during hospitalization, guiding safer feeding and monitoring.
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.