Anorexia NervosaANOVERSIONNCT07344831
Impact of Fatty Stimuli on Cerebral Activity in Anorexia Nervosa: a Multi-sensory Approach
A study testing MRI examination and Smell and taste capacity testings in people with Anorexia Nervosa, run by Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
Lipid restriction is significant in anorexia nervosa and limits therapeutic management. The multisensory perception of fat is altered, creating an aversion to lipids. The investigators aim to characterize the impact of sensory stimulation (smells or images) associated with specific tastes using neuropsychological… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Anorexia Nervosa
- What is being tested?
- MRI examination and Smell and taste capacity testings
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 90 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- Dec 2026to Nov 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- 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 years and older
- Women only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Person affiliated or entitled to a social security scheme
- Person having received informed information on the study and having co-signed, with the investigator, a consent to participate in the study
- female person
- Person affiliated or entitled to a social security scheme
- Over 18 years'old
- Knowing how to read and write French
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- Patient diagnosed with anorexia nervosa according to DSM-5 criteria for at least 5 years (HAS criteria). Failure of prior outpatient or/and hospitalization care over the last 12 months: stable or falling low BMI, unmodified food restriction, continued fear of weight gain, disturbances in the perception of body image
- BMI < 18.5 kg/m² for volunteers in a state of constitutional thinness. The absence of eating disorder and the absence of restriction to DEBQ questionnaires. Fertility preserved.
- For volunteers of normal weight: 18.5 kg/m² < BMI < 25 kg/m²
Who cannot join
- Pregnant women, parturient, nursing mothers;
- Persons deprived of their liberty, hospitalized without consent, hospitalized for purposes other than research;
- Minors
- Refusal of the study by the participant
- Person incapable of giving informed consent
- Artificial nutrition
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- Associated organic damage favoring undernutrition: other chronic diseases (digestive, infectious, endocrine, pulmonary, cardiac, neurological), neoplasms, etc.
- Abuse of psychoactive substances except tobacco
- Characterized depressive episode, psychosis
- Score less than 14 on the Edinburgh laterality questionnaire.
- Contraindications to MRI or allergy to one of the components of the olfactory and taste tests
- Smokers
- Smell or taste alterations
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
France1 site
CHU de Saint-Etienne
Saint-Etienne, 42055
Fabien SCHNEIDER, MD, (0)477127529 ext. +33, fabien.schneider@chu-st-etienne.fr
Natacha GERMAIN, MD PhD
About this study
Lipid restriction is significant in anorexia nervosa and limits therapeutic management. The multisensory perception of fat is altered, creating an aversion to lipids. The investigators aim to characterize the impact of sensory stimulation (smells or images) associated with specific tastes using neuropsychological assessments and functional MRI. Some volatile aromas can enhance the perception of the associated taste. The investigators hypothesize that such associations are altered in anorexia nervosa for fatty foods but may be preserved for sweet tastes, and that this alteration contributes to the maintenance of the disease. The interdependence of different sensory perceptions of lipids could play a major role in the therapeutic approach, aiding in the deconditioning of this aversion and the restoration of positive food sensory associations.
- Conditions
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Being tested
- MRI examination, Smell and taste capacity testings
- Keywords
- Anorexia nervosa,, MRI, Lipid aversion
- Medical subject headings
- Anorexia Nervosa
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
MRI examinationOther
One hour MRI examination
Smell and taste capacity testingsOther
one hour sensory testings
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Anorexia Nervosa patient group | Experimental | 30 patients with anorexia nervosa Receives: Other: MRI examination; Other: Smell and taste capacity testings |
| Normal Weight Control group | Active comparator | 30 control subjects of normal weight Receives: Other: MRI examination; Other: Smell and taste capacity testings |
| Low Weight Control group | Active comparator | 30 control subjects with a similar weight to AN patients (the constitutional thinness group) Receives: Other: MRI examination; Other: Smell and taste capacity testings |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Brain activity measured by functional MRI
Estimation of the "fatty vs. neutral" contrast when all three senses are used, comparing AN patients to the normal-weight control group (NC group) in each voxel of the brain volume (whole-brain analysis) and in the orbitofrontal cortex (ROI analysis).
Measured: Day 1
Secondary outcomes (6)
Brain activity measured by functional MRI
Estimation of the "fatty vs. neutral" contrast when all three senses are used, comparing AN patients to the control group with a similar BMI (CT group) in each voxel of the brain volume (whole-brain analysis) and in the orbitofrontal cortex (ROI analysis).
Measured: Day 1
Brain activity measured by functional MRI
BOLD signal variations between the groups (AN, NC, and CT) for the "sweet vs. neutral" contrast.
Measured: Day 1
Brain activity measured by functional MRI
BOLD signal variations for single vs. three senses simultaneously for each group and between groups for the "fatty vs. neutral" and "sweet vs. neutral" contrasts.
Measured: Day 1
BMI
Body Mass Index
Measured: DAY 1.
Olfactory and gustatory abilities
MediSens tests of olfactory and gustatory abilities
Measured: Day 1
3DT1 morphological MRI
Brain morphometric measures and voxel-based morphometry.
Measured: Day 1
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Jan 2026
- Study startDec 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionNov 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionNov 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
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07344831
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 24CH172
- Other IDs
- ANSM
- Acronym
- ANOVERSION
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 22 Dec 2025
- Last updated
- 16 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 16 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Impact of Fatty Stimuli on Cerebral Activity in Anorexia Nervosa: a Multi-sensory Approach
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07344831
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ANOVERSION / 24CH172
- Conditions
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Keywords
- Anorexia nervosa,, MRI, Lipid aversion
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint EtienneUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Nov 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Nov 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 15 Jan 2026 (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.
Lipid restriction is significant in anorexia nervosa and limits therapeutic management. The multisensory perception of fat is altered, creating an aversion to lipids. The investigators aim to characterize the impact of sensory stimulation (smells or images) associated with specific tastes using neuropsychological assessments and functional MRI. Some volatile aromas can enhance the perception of the associated taste. The investigators hypothesize that such associations are altered in anorexia nervosa for fatty foods but may be preserved for sweet tastes, and that this alteration contributes to the maintenance of the disease. The interdependence of different sensory perceptions of lipids could play a major role in the therapeutic approach, aiding in the deconditioning of this aversion and the restoration of positive food sensory associations.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Anorexia Nervosa patient group | Experimental | Other: MRI examination, Other: Smell and taste capacity testings30 patients with anorexia nervosa |
| Normal Weight Control group | Active comparator | Other: MRI examination, Other: Smell and taste capacity testings30 control subjects of normal weight |
| Low Weight Control group | Active comparator | Other: MRI examination, Other: Smell and taste capacity testings30 control subjects with a similar weight to AN patients (the constitutional thinness group) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Person affiliated or entitled to a social security scheme
- Person having received informed information on the study and having co-signed, with the investigator, a consent to participate in the study
- female person
- Person affiliated or entitled to a social security scheme
- Over 18 years'old
Key exclusion criteria (13 listed)
- Pregnant women, parturient, nursing mothers;
- Persons deprived of their liberty, hospitalized without consent, hospitalized for purposes other than research;
- Minors
- Refusal of the study by the participant
- Person incapable of giving informed consent
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| MRI examinationOne hour MRI examination | Other | Anorexia Nervosa patient group, Low Weight Control group, Normal Weight Control group |
| Smell and taste capacity testingsone hour sensory testings | Other | Anorexia Nervosa patient group, Low Weight Control group, Normal Weight Control group |
Primary outcome
Brain activity measured by functional MRI
Time frame: Day 1
Estimation of the "fatty vs. neutral" contrast when all three senses are used, comparing AN patients to the normal-weight control group (NC group) in each voxel of the brain volume (whole-brain analysis) and in the orbitofrontal cortex (ROI analysis).
6 secondary outcomes
Brain activity measured by functional MRI
Time frame: Day 1
Brain activity measured by functional MRI
Time frame: Day 1
Brain activity measured by functional MRI
Time frame: Day 1
BMI
Time frame: DAY 1.
Olfactory and gustatory abilities
Time frame: Day 1
3DT1 morphological MRI
Time frame: Day 1
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 16 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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?
A study testing MRI examination and Smell and taste capacity testings in people with Anorexia Nervosa, run by Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne at 1 site in France.
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 9 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 16 Sep 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 France. 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 Fabien SCHNEIDER, MD ((0)477127529 ext. +33, fabien.schneider@univ-st-etienne.fr), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Brain activity measured by functional MRI (time frame: Day 1). 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 16 Sep 2026.