Clinical Research Directory

Therapeutic Ketogenic Diet in Anorexia Nervosa

This study will investigate the effects of therapeutic ketogenic diet (TKD) on eating behavior including drive to restrict, body dissatisfaction, mood and anxiety in individuals with anorexia nervosa who have been weight normalized (body mass index of 17.5 or greater) but continue to struggle with eating disorder behaviors including a high drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction. The Underweight Anorexia Nervosa (AN) Sub-Study will investigate the effects of TKD on eating behavior including drive to restrict, body dissatisfaction, mood and anxiety in individuals with anorexia nervosa who are currently underweight (body mass index between 16.0 and 17.49) and continue to struggle with eating disorder behaviors including a high drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction. The Bulimia Nervosa Pilot will will investigate the effects of TKD on eating behavior including drive to binge and purge, body dissatisfaction, mood and anxiety in individuals with bulimia nervosa.

Facing Eating Disorder Fears for Anorexia Nervosa

FED-F is a modular treatment that enhances exposure therapy with psychoeducation and cognitive skills teaching how to face fears of (a) food, (b) weight gain, (c) interoception/body, and (d) social situations. The study goals are to (1) refine and test the acceptability and feasibility of FED-F treatment (Phase I), (2) test if this treatment outperforms treatment as usual (TAU) delivered post-acute treatment as adjunctive to stepdown specialty care (Phase II), and (3) to examine if treatment targets the hypothesized mechanism of action: approach behaviors (Phase II). These goals will lead to a highly deployable and accessible virtual treatment targeted at core AN mechanisms that predict relapse. Specific aims are to (1) refine FED-F into a fully virtual format with input from patients and stakeholders and collect preliminary data (N=10) on its feasibility and acceptability (Phase I), (2) conduct a small pilot RCT (randomized controlled trial) of FED-F (n=30) as compared to TAU (n=30; Phase II), and (3) examine if FED-F targets approach/avoidance behaviors and test if this mechanism is associated with clinical outcomes (Phase II).

Radically Open Dialectical Behaviour Therapy in Patients With Anorexia Nervosa

Randomized controlled clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of "Radically Open Dialectical Behaviour Therapy" in patients with eating disorders: a proof-of-concept study.