Anorexia NervosaNCT05056597
Incentive Processing and Learning in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa
An observational study of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, run by University of California, San Diego at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate areas of the brain responsible for 'liking', 'wanting', and learning in adults with eating disorders using brain imaging techniques, computer tasks, a test meal, and self-report questionnaires and interviews. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 39 years, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa
- How many people
- 252 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 26 May 2022to Jan 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 39 years
- Women only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Study population: The study will recruit 189 adult women currently ill with ED including anorexia nervosa, restricting type (AN-R, n=63), AN binge eating/purging type (AN-BP, n=63), and bulimia nervosa (BN, n=63) and 63 healthy control (HC) women between the ages of 18 and 39.
Who may be able to join
- Eating Disorder Group:
- Between the ages of 18 and 39 years old
- Meet DSM-V criteria for AN-R, AN-BP, or BN
- Healthy Control Group:
- Between the ages of 18 and 39 years old
- Have maintained 85% to 120% ideal body weight since menarche
Who cannot join
- All Groups:
- Psychotic illness/other mental illness requiring hospitalization
- Current dependence on drugs or alcohol defined by DSM IV criteria. Additionally, positive test results for drug use on the day of the scan, apart of marijuana, will result in cancelling or rescheduling the scan because acute use will impact MRI measures.
- Physical conditions (e.g. diabetes mellitus, pregnancy) known to influence eating or weight
- Neurological disorder, neurodevelopmental disorder, or history of head injury with >30 min loss of consciousness
- Any contraindication to undergoing an MRI
Show all 13Show fewer
- Primary obsessive compulsive disorder or primary major depressive disorder
- Additional Exclusion Criteria for ED Group:
- -If taking other psychotropic medication, any change in dosage in the 2 weeks before scanning
- Additional Exclusion Criteria for Healthy Control Group:
- Meet criteria for the diagnosis of any psychiatric disorder currently
- Any history of binge eating or purging behaviors, including self-induced vomiting, laxative or diuretic misuse
- Use of any psychoactive or other medication known to affect mood or concentration in the last 3 months
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
UCSD Eating Disorders Treatment and Research Program
La Jolla, California, 92121
Megan Martinho, 858-210-0318, mamartinho@health.ucsd.edu
Katherine Gandee, 858-534-0371, kgandee@health.ucsd.edu
About this study
The purpose of this study is to investigate areas of the brain responsible for 'liking', 'wanting', and learning in adults with eating disorders using brain imaging techniques, computer tasks, a test meal, and self-report questionnaires and interviews. The investigators will study changes in brain activity using a procedure called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This study will include 252 women with an eating disorder (63 AN-restricting type (AN-R), 63 AN-binge eating/purging type (AN-BP), 63 bulimia nervosa (BN)) and 63 healthy controls (HC) aged 18-39.
Aim 1: To examine neural differences in 'liking' and 'wanting' in ED relative to HC.
Read more
Aim 2: To examine differences in instrumental learning for reward and punishment in ED relative to HC.
Aim 3: To examine how 'liking' and 'wanting' drive instrumental learning in ED and predict clinical symptoms at baseline and 1 year later.
Exploratory Aim: To explore the associations of dopamine function, as measured by neuromelanin MRI (NM-MRI), with ED diagnosis and brain response to 'liking', 'wanting', and learning.
- Conditions
- Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa
- Medical subject headings
- Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| AN-R | Participants that meet Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) criteria for Anorexia Nervosa restricting subtype. | |
| AN-BP | Participants that meet DSM-V criteria for Anorexia Nervosa binging/purging subtype | |
| BN | Participants that meet DSM-V criteria for Bulimia Nervosa. | |
| Healthy Controls | Participants that do not meet DSM-V criteria for any disorder. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
BOLD response
Brain activity associated with 'liking', 'wanting', and learning
Measured: 1 Year
Reward and Punishment Learning
Task reinforcement learning rate in reward and punishment trials
Measured: 1 Year
Connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM)
Functional connectivity maps from task-based fMRI data and clinical data
Measured: 1 Year
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Sep 2021
- Study start26 May 2022
- Primary completionJan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionJan 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Anorexia NervosaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Case-control
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 252 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, San Diego
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Christina Wierenga, University of California, San Diego
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05056597
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 800775
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 9 Sep 2021
- Last updated
- 28 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Incentive Processing and Learning in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05056597
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 800775
- Conditions
- Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 252 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, San DiegoUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 26 May 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jan 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 24 Sep 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to investigate areas of the brain responsible for 'liking', 'wanting', and learning in adults with eating disorders using brain imaging techniques, computer tasks, a test meal, and self-report questionnaires and interviews. The investigators will study changes in brain activity using a procedure called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This study will include 252 women with an eating disorder (63 AN-restricting type (AN-R), 63 AN-binge eating/purging type (AN-BP), 63 bulimia nervosa (BN)) and 63 healthy controls (HC) aged 18-39.
Aim 1: To examine neural differences in 'liking' and 'wanting' in ED relative to HC.
Aim 2: To examine differences in instrumental learning for reward and punishment in ED relative to HC.
Aim 3: To examine how 'liking' and 'wanting' drive instrumental learning in ED and predict clinical symptoms at baseline and 1 year later.
Exploratory Aim: To explore the associations of dopamine function, as measured by neuromelanin MRI (NM-MRI), with ED diagnosis and brain response to 'liking', 'wanting', and learning.
Study design
- Observational model
- Case-control
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| AN-R | – | –Participants that meet Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) criteria for Anorexia Nervosa restricting subtype. |
| AN-BP | – | –Participants that meet DSM-V criteria for Anorexia Nervosa binging/purging subtype |
| BN | – | –Participants that meet DSM-V criteria for Bulimia Nervosa. |
| Healthy Controls | – | –Participants that do not meet DSM-V criteria for any disorder. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 39 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
- Study population
- The study will recruit 189 adult women currently ill with ED including anorexia nervosa, restricting type (AN-R, n=63), AN binge eating/purging type (AN-BP, n=63), and bulimia nervosa (BN, n=63) and 63 healthy control (HC) women between the ages of 18 and 39.
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Between the ages of 18 and 39 years old
- Meet DSM-V criteria for AN-R, AN-BP, or BN
- Between the ages of 18 and 39 years old
- Have maintained 85% to 120% ideal body weight since menarche
Key exclusion criteria (13 listed)
- Psychotic illness/other mental illness requiring hospitalization
- Current dependence on drugs or alcohol defined by DSM IV criteria. Additionally, positive test results for drug use on the day of the scan, apart of marijuana, will result in cancelling or rescheduling the scan because acute use will impact MRI measures.
- Physical conditions (e.g. diabetes mellitus, pregnancy) known to influence eating or weight
- Neurological disorder, neurodevelopmental disorder, or history of head injury with >30 min loss of consciousness
- Any contraindication to undergoing an MRI
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
BOLD response
Time frame: 1 Year
Brain activity associated with 'liking', 'wanting', and learning
Reward and Punishment Learning
Time frame: 1 Year
Task reinforcement learning rate in reward and punishment trials
Connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM)
Time frame: 1 Year
Functional connectivity maps from task-based fMRI data and clinical data
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 28 Apr 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, run by University of California, San Diego at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 13 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Christina Wierenga (858-534-8047, cwierenga@health.ucsd.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
BOLD response (time frame: 1 Year). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 28 Apr 2026.