Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in the Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa

Last updated: February 16, 2021
Sponsor: Silvie Ceresnakova
Overall Status: Completed

Phase

N/A

Condition

Vomiting

Anorexia

Treatment

N/A

Clinical Study ID

NCT03273205
1955/16 S-IV
  • Ages 18-65
  • All Genders

Study Summary

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a serious and often chronical eating disorder characterized by an extreme effort for weight loss and intense fear of becoming fat despite the obvious thinness. The treatment is very difficult and not always effective. That´s the reason why we are looking for new ways of the therapeutic approach.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulation technique, which modulates the neuronal excitability. According to previous research it has a potential to help people with Anorexia Nervosa.

The device for the tDCS has two electrodes, an anode (the excitatory one) and a cathode (the inhibitory one). We put them on the skull into the different positions, in dependence on the fact, if we want to excite or on to inhibit the parts of the brain under the electrodes.

There are several hypothesis how could the tDCS help in patients with AN. One of them speaks about the hyperactivity of the right hemisphere in Anorexia Nervosa. Therefore could the anodal (excitatory) tDCS over the left hemisphere and the cathodal (inhibitory one) help in resetting the inter-hemispheric balance.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • patients with the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • patients: with the diagnosis of epilepsy, after a serious injury of head, with chronicheadache, with some metal or electronic implants in their heads and patients who arepregnant.

Study Design

Total Participants: 43
Study Start date:
May 22, 2017
Estimated Completion Date:
February 01, 2021

Study Description

Stimulation of 2 milliampere is applied for 30 minutes in every real session. Together there are 10 sessions, the application is every workday within 2 weeks.

All measurements and questionnaires are made 4 times:

  1. Before the stimulation

  2. On the day of the last stimulation

  3. 14 days after the last stimulation

  4. 28 days after the last stimulation

Connect with a study center

  • Department of Psychiatry, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague

    Prague, 121 08
    Czechia

    Site Not Available

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