Non-invasive Cranial Electrical Stimulation for Mealtime Anxiety in Adults With Eating Disorders

Summary

The study is to evaluate the feasibility of using a non-invasive brain stimulation device in a sample of inpatients with eating disorders (ED). The study will help researchers evaluate whether their device protocol is practical for eating disorder inpatients as a way to manage eating disorder and anxiety symptoms. A secondary aim of the study is to evaluate preliminary effectiveness of the protocol for reducing pre-meal anxiety during the treatment, and explore effects on eating disorder symptoms over the course of the inpatient admission.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age 18-30 years old at the time of enrollment
2. Enrolled in Rogers Behavioral Health Eating Disorder Recovery Program Inpatient Unit at the Oconomowoc, WI clinic location
3. Have a primary diagnosis of any DSM-5 eating disorder (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, other specified feeding or eating disorder)
4. Ability to communicate effectively using written and spoken English
5. Participant is eligible for mealtime anxiety support based on:

   * ≤ 75% meal plan compliance
   * Visible anxiety/distress during program meals
   * Engagement in compensatory behaviors or self-harm before, during, or after meals, or medical staff judge patient to be at risk of same

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Metal in the body of any kind (e.g., braces, pacemakers, metal plates or screws, intracranial electrodes, implanted devices/defibrillators, prostheses)
2. Currently taking medication that reduces seizure threshold (e.g., clomipramine)
3. Cranial pathologies (e.g., holes, plates)
4. History of seizure or black-out concussion
5. Pregnancy
6. Risk of suicide/self-harm by self-strangulation with cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) device judged by study medical staff
7. Participant calibrates to a stimulation level below 200 microampere (μA)

Conditions2

Locations1 site

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