Cognitive-behavioral therapy effects on brain signals, arousal, and attention in anorexia nervosa
Official title: Neurophysiological Effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in Anorexia Nervosa: A Pre-Post EEG, GSR, and Eye-Tracking Study
Run by Istanbul Nisantasi University · NCT07037017 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will see if 12 weeks of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) changes brain responses, physiological arousal, and visual attention in women with restrictive-type anorexia nervosa.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 35 Years |
| Sex | Women only |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Istanbul Nisantasi University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Istanbul) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | May 15, 2025 |
| Main results expected | September 15, 2025 |
| Study ends | October 15, 2025 |
| Registry record updated | June 25, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07037017 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are medically stable females age 18–35 who meet DSM-5 criteria for restrictive-type anorexia nervosa, have a BMI between 15.0 and 18.5, are able to attend weekly therapy sessions and lab visits, and have not recently used psychotropic medications or received prior structured CBT for an eating disorder.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with other eating disorder diagnoses, severe comorbid psychiatric or neurological conditions, current psychotropic medication use, pregnancy, or impairments preventing accurate EEG/GSR/eye-tracking recordings are unlikely to be appropriate or to benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized controlled trial will enroll 60 female participants aged 18–35 with restrictive-type anorexia nervosa and randomly assign them to 12 weeks of weekly CBT or a waitlist control. All participants complete pre- and post-intervention laboratory assessments including EEG, galvanic skin response (GSR), and eye-tracking while viewing self-images, other bodies, and food images. Primary outcomes include EEG markers of attention and emotional processing (P300, LPP, frontal alpha asymmetry), skin conductance as a measure of physiological arousal, and eye-tracking metrics such as fixation duration and gaze distribution. The CBT protocol targets body image distortion, cognitive restructuring, exposure to food-related stimuli, emotion regulation, and avoidance behaviors, with comparisons between groups used to detect neurophysiological and attentional changes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could identify measurable brain and attention changes linked to CBT that help tailor treatments and provide objective markers of therapeutic response.
How similar studies have gone: While CBT is an established clinical treatment for eating disorders, prior work linking CBT to specific neurophysiological and eye-tracking changes in anorexia nervosa is limited and findings to date have been mixed.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Female participants aged 18 to 35 * Meeting DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for restrictive-type anorexia nervosa * Body Mass Index (BMI) between 15.0 and 18.5 * Medically stable to participate in psychological and neurophysiological assessments * Willingness to participate in weekly therapy sessions (for the CBT group) and to complete pre- and post-assessments * Ability to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Current or past diagnosis of bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, or other eating disorders * Presence of comorbid severe psychiatric disorders (e.g., psychosis, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder) * History of neurological illness or traumatic brain injury * Use of psychotropic medication within the last 6 weeks * Prior participation in structured Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for an eating disorder * Pregnancy * Visual or neurological impairments that would prevent accurate EEG, GSR, or eye-tracking recordings
Where it's running
-
Üsküdar University Neuro Marketing Lab.
Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye) Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Metin Çınaroğlu, Phd
- Email: metincinaroglu@gmail.com
- Phone: 00905324732070
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.