Understanding how restrictive eating disorders affect brain development
Evaluating the Impact of Restrictive Eating Disorders on White Matter Development
This study is looking at how restrictive eating disorders like anorexia nervosa affect brain development in teenagers and young adults, using special brain scans to see how their brain structure changes over time compared to those without these disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10897915 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research investigates the effects of restrictive eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, on the development of white matter in the brain among adolescents and young adults. By utilizing advanced neuroimaging techniques, the study aims to analyze brain structure changes over time in individuals with these disorders compared to healthy controls. The research will combine existing clinical, dietary, and imaging data to provide a comprehensive view of how these eating disorders impact brain health during critical developmental stages. Participants will undergo diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) to assess the integrity of white matter pathways.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents and young adults aged 12 to 20 who are diagnosed with restrictive eating disorders.
Not a fit: Patients who do not have restrictive eating disorders or are outside the age range of 12 to 20 may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and treatment strategies for adolescents suffering from restrictive eating disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research using neuroimaging techniques has shown promising results in understanding brain development in various psychiatric conditions, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights in the context of eating disorders.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kubicki, Marek — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kubicki, Marek
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.