Appetitive Conditioning in Anorexia Nervosa (NCT05531604)
Appetitive Conditioning in Anorexia Nervosa: Neural, Physiological, and Behavioral Mechanisms
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by a reduced drive to pursue rewarding experiences and stimuli. Food consumption - which is almost universally experienced as pleasurable - is not described as rewarding by those with AN. This is thought to be underpinned by abnormalities around reward learning. However, the most fundamental question relating to reward in AN - whether those with AN may learn positive associations - remains unaddressed. In this study, the investigators will identify the patterns of how those with AN acquire positive associations, how they diminish, and their relationships to physiology (heart rate and pupil responses) and brain activation. In assessing the robustness of this learning, the investigators will investigate the extent to which this association is reactivated after 24 hours, and the extent to which a memory prompt will help reinstate this previously learned positive association. This project will allow for important advances in our understanding of the neurobiology of AN. The investigators will first identify if, and how, those with AN come to learn positive associations to cues, and secondly, the extent to which learned positive associations remain over time. Moreover, the investigators will use machine learning to ascertain whether reward learning can be predicted by physiological and neural biomarkers.
Who can join: Review the eligibility criteria below.
Location: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health — Toronto, Ontario
Age range: 12 Years to 22 Years
🧪 Interventions in This Study
- appetitive conditioning (BEHAVIORAL)
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistFull eligibility criteria are available on the official NIH protocol. View the criteria ↗
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health — Toronto, Ontario
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.
More studies in Anorexia Nervosa
- Role of CBD in Regulating Meal Time Anxiety in Anorexia Nervosa — San Diego, California
- Developing an EEG Paradigm to Study Prediction Error in Anorexia Nervosa — San Diego, California
- Identifying Networks Underlying Compulsivity in Anorexia Nervosa for Targeting With Neuromodulation — San Francisco, California
- Investigation of Multi-Family Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa — Chicago, Illinois
- Incorporating Narrative Into the Treatment of Youth With Anorexia Nervosa (Virtual) — San Francisco, California
Explore by condition: All Anorexia Nervosa clinical trials
💡 How to Participate
- Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
- Review the official NIH record below to find the coordinating site.
- Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
- Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.