Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of refractory Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by restrictive eating leading to low weight and associated complications. There is an emerging understanding that the symptoms of OCD and AN overlap as AN can be characterized by obsessive thought patterns around food and compulsive restricting and weight loss behaviors. Both conditions are characterized by a propensity toward cognitive inflexibility and the conditions may share neural substrates that maintain maladaptive habitual behaviors and cognitive rigidity. An evidence-based repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) target for OCD is the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). The investigators intend to determine if the OFC is also a potential rTMS target for AN and to determine if there is a characteristic pattern of functional network reorganization as characterized by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in TMS responders.
To determine if accelerated theta burst rTMS can treat symptoms of AN and normalize abnormal network connectivity, the investigators will enroll 20 patients with AN (aged 16-45) to receive five treatments of inhibitory continuous theta burst rTMS to the right orbitofrontal cortex (R OFC) lasting three minutes delivered every hour over the course of 10 days (2 weeks) for a total of 50 treatments, with follow-up immediately post-treatment, and at 1 month. Clinical symptom change will be determined with weight gain from percent expected body weight (%EBW) and clinical interview with the Eating Disorders Examination (EDE) as well as validated self-report. For Hypothesis 1: At 1-month post-rTMS, the investigators expect increased %EBW, and meaningful reductions in AN compulsive symptoms per the EDE. For Hypothesis 2: The investigators intend to identify changes in the default mode network comparing before and after TMS that are associated with an improvement in AN compulsive symptoms.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
Our protocol consists of five treatments of inhibitory continuous TBS (cTBS) to the R OFC lasting three minutes delivered every hour over the course of 10 days (2 weeks) for a total of 50 treatments.
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States
Eating Disorders Examination - Questionnaire (EDE-Q)
The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) is a 28-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess the range, frequency and severity of behaviours associated with a diagnosis of an eating disorder. It is categorised into 4 subscales (Restraint, Eating Concern, Shape Concern and Weight Concern) and an overall global score, with a higher score indicating more problematic eating difficulties.
Time frame: Baseline; day 1, 5, & 10 of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).
Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)
The Y-BOCS is a 10-item ordinal scale (0-4) that rates the severity separately for both obsessions and compulsions of OCD according to the time occupied, degree of interference, subjective distress, internal resistance, and degree of control. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.
Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).
Compulsive Exercise Test (CET)
The CET is a 24-item self-report measure designed to assess the core features of excessive exercise in the eating disorders. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.
Time frame: Baseline; day 1, 5, & 10 of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).
State Trait Anxiety Index (STAI)
The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) is a 40-item self-report measure of anxiety using a 4-point Likert-type scale (from 0 to 3 points) for each item. It has two scales: State anxiety, i.e. how one feels at the moment; and Trait anxiety, i.e. how one generally feels. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.
Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).
Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA)
Ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) study people's thoughts and behavior in their daily lives by repeatedly collecting data in an individual's normal environment, at or close to the time that the individual carries out that behavior. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.
Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).
Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)
The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) is a diagnostic questionnaire which psychiatrists use to measure the severity of depressive episodes in patients with mood disorders. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.
Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).
Hamilton Self-Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D)
The HAM-D is a multiple-item questionnaire used to provide an indication of depression, and as a guide to evaluate recovery. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.
Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).
Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale - short form (IUS-12)
The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS) includes items relating to the idea that uncertainty is unacceptable, reflects badly on a person, and leads to frustration, stress, and the inability to take action. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.
Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).
Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire-10 (RTQ-10)
The Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire (RTQ) was developed by combining items from commonly used measures of worry, rumination, and post-event processing, and then modifying the items to remove diagnosis-specific content. It is used to measure repetitive negative thinking. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.
Time frame: Baseline; all 10 days of TMS; every follow-up (weeks 1, 2, & 3 after final TMS treatment; every month for a year).
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