Brain scans may reveal how naltrexone works in teens with eating disorders
NCT ID NCT05509257
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether functional MRI (fMRI) brain scans can detect changes caused by a single dose of naltrexone in adolescents aged 13-21 with eating disorders involving binge eating or purging. Participants receive both naltrexone and a placebo in random order, two weeks apart, and undergo brain imaging. The goal is to see if the drug alters activity in reward-related brain regions, which could lead to a new way to measure drug effects in future studies.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Naltrexone
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could provide a reliable brain-based test to measure how well opioid-blocking drugs work in eating disorders, potentially guiding future treatments.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small study (60 participants) focused on measuring brain activity, not treating the disorder. The drug is given only once, so it cannot show long-term effects or real-world benefit.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Children's Mercy Research Institute
RECRUITINGKansas City, Missouri, 64108, United States
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