BEACON Follow up
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Brain imaging of Emotion And Cognition Of adolescents with anorexia Nervosa Follow up Study.
IRAS ID
266094
Contact name
Kate Tchanturia
Contact email
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
n/a, n/a
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a potentially fatal eating disorder, that is poorly understood. Difficulties in cognitive and emotional processing have been shown in AN and is believed to be an underlying mechanism for the disease maintenance. Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) traits also exist highly in AN, such as difficulties in cognitive flexibility and social interaction, which may contribute to the disease mechanism and maintenance. The neural mechanisms of the emotional and cognitive difficulties, as well as how ASD traits interact on a neural level, is poorly understood. Though recent projects, such as the BEACON study, have looked at these areas a big problem is lack of longitudinal data, especially AN patients in differing stages of the disease.
Aims of this study: To look at the neural correlates, as well as the behavioural data, of emotional and cognitive difficulties in AN, longitudinally. To examine how ASD traits interact with AN on a brain level and a behavioural level, longitudinally. To see if this data can be used to build a model to predict BMI.
Setting: Participants will be recruited from the BEACON study, by members of the research team getting in touch with them directly with contact details that participants provided.
Approach: This is a cross-sectional neuroimaging study that uses self-reported, validated questionnaires and tasks, as well as a clinical interview undertaken by trained professionals, to examine its aims. Participants will be the same as those in the BEACON project and will undertake tasks outside of the MRI scanner and then inside the MRI scanner.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/SC/0367
Date of REC Opinion
27 Aug 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion