(Dis)Embodiment in Anorexia Nervosa: the Role of Interoception
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Disrupted sense of self and distorted body representation in Anorexia Nervosa: The role of interoceptive deficits.
IRAS ID
319966
Contact name
Sally Linkenauger
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Lancaster University
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 5 months, 5 days
Research summary
Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a significant and distressing mental health condition in which individuals purposefully influence their shape and weight. Whilst a variety of theories exist to explain the underlying cause of this mental health condition, most focus upon distorted cognitions and body perception in their explanations. Recent theories, however, suggest that the cause of AN may be more connected to the internal functioning of the body than previously thought. Specifically, it is argued that interoception (the ability to sense one’s internal bodily signals) is impaired in AN. These signals are vital for one’s sense of self and forming stable body representations, therefore, impaired interoception could plausibly manifest in the symptoms of AN.
The proposed research will test aspects of this new conceptualisation of AN over two phases using a sample of individuals with AN and healthy, age-matched controls. In phase one, how the two groups represent their body size at different levels of abstraction will be compared using three tasks.
In phase two, the ability of the two groups to adapt to changes in their body morphology will be assessed using three perceptual tasks: reach ability, grasping ability and aperture passing in which the size of the participant’s body part necessary for performing the action will be manipulated.
A third phase based upon these findings will be introduced in the future and submitted as a separate application.REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/SC/0088
Date of REC Opinion
23 May 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion