MedPath

rTMS and Body Shape Perception

Not Applicable
Terminated
Conditions
Anorexia Nervosa
Interventions
Procedure: Sham rTMS
Procedure: rTMS
Registration Number
NCT01717079
Lead Sponsor
University Hospital, Rouen
Brief Summary

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a frequent, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a resistance to maintaining body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height, an intense fear of weight gain or being "fat" even though underweight, a loss of menstrual periods in girls and women post-puberty and a disturbance in the experience of body weight or shape. Body weight and shape dissatisfaction is linked to the development, maintenance and relapse of AN. Neuroimaging studies have shown that the inferior parietal cortex is involved in body image perception and less activated in patients with AN compared with healthy subjects. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is used to modulate cortical excitability, and particularly to increase excitability with high-frequency rTMS. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of "excitatory" high-frequency rTMS over the "hypoactive" inferior parietal cortex of 54 patients with AN.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study will compare effective rTMS (2000 ten-Hz stimulations per session, applied at 90% of the resting motor threshold, with 10 sessions in two weeks) versus placebo rTMS.

Assessments will be performed before rTMS and after the last rTMS session (immediately after, at 15 days and three months). The principal criteria for judgement is a body image satisfaction scale (Boby Shape Questionnaire, BSQ-34). The secondary criteria for judgement are eating behaviour scales (Eating Attitude Test, EAT-40; Bulimia test, BULIT and Eating Disorders Inventory, EDI-2), the Hamilton depression rating scale and Hamilton anxiety rating scale, a quality of life scale (Short-Form Health Survey, SF-36), a body composition analysis using a Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and the alpha-MSH autoantibodies levels (biomarker for eating disorders recently described).

Inferior parietal cortex rTMS could not only improve body image perception, but also help in the treatment of eating disorders, allowing weight gain with a decreased anxiety and improving patients' quality of life. Also positive results could have direct therapeutic implications with the possibility to complete regular rTMS sessions, or to implant extradural electrodes for chronic parietal cortex stimulation.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
TERMINATED
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
22
Inclusion Criteria
  • Female
  • Age above 18
  • Restrictive anorexia nervosa with a disease duration more than one year and less than three years.
  • Body Mass Index below 16
  • Patient receiving or having received optimal treatment for anorexia nervosa
  • Right-handed
  • Normal blood ionogramme
  • Previous stable antidepressor treatment for one month and no expected modification in the three following months
  • Patients arriving by car with someone else or by public transportation
Exclusion Criteria
  • Pregnancy
  • Contraindication to transcranial magnetic stimulation i.e. pace-maker, cardiac valve protheses, metallic protheses etc.
  • History of epileptic seizure
  • Cerebral lesion of any etiology (post-traumatic, tumoral, vascular etc.)
  • History of previous rTMS

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Placebo armSham rTMSPlacebo coil
Effective armrTMSEffective coil
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
BSQ-34 scale (Body Shape Questionnaire)Just after rTMS
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
EAT-40 scale (eating attitude test)Before rTMS, just after rTMS, 15 days after rTMS and 3 months after rTMS
BULIT scale (bulimia test)Before rTMS, just after rTMS, 15 days after rTMS and 3 months after rTMS
Quality of Life Scale, MOS 36 Item Short-Form Health Survey or SF-36Before rTMS, just after rTMS, 15 days after rTMS and 3 months after rTMS
The body mass indexBefore rTMS, just after rTMS, 15 days after rTMS and 3 months after rTMS
body composition analysis using dual energy X-ray absorptiometryBefore rTMS and 3 months after rTMS
autoantibodies against alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormoneBefore rTMS, just after rTMS, 15 days after rTMS and 3 months after rTMS
The adverse effectsAfter rTMS
EDI-2 scale (eating disorder inventory)Before rTMS, just after rTMS, 15 days after rTMS and 3 months after rTMS
BSQ-34 scale (Body Shape Questionnaire)Before rTMS, 15 days after rTMS and 3 months after rTMS
Hamilton scaleBefore rTMS, just after rTMS, 15 days after rTMS and 3 months after rTMSBefore rTMS, just after rTMS, 15 days after rTMS and 3 months after rTMS
WeightBefore rTMS, just after rTMS, 15 days after rTMS and 3 months after rTMS

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Rouen University Hospital

🇫🇷

Rouen, France

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath