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Teens with anorexia: brain study reveals how reward and punishment shape habits

NCT ID NCT04051879

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: University of California, San Diego Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looked at how teenage girls with anorexia nervosa learn from rewards and punishments compared to healthy teens. Researchers used brain scans and computer tasks to understand differences in decision-making and brain connections. The goal was to learn more about the condition, not to test a treatment.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Participants

78 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Apr 2019

Finished

May 2026

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Who is studied

We will recruit from a clinical sample for the AN groups. We will recruit from a community sample for the healthy control group.

Ages

13 to 17 years

Sex

Female participants only

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: AN Group: * Between the ages of 13 and 17 years old * Meet DSM-V criteria for AN-R or AN-BP * Medically stable per American Academy of Pediatrics and the Society of Adolescent Medicine requirements, at least 75% adjusted ideal body weight, but still symptomatic as assessed by the Eating Disorders Examination and clinical report * Be at least 75% of adjusted ideal body weight Healthy Control Group: * Between the ages of 13 and 17 years old Exclusion Criteria: All Groups: * Psychotic illness/other mental illness requiring hospitalization * Current dependence on drugs or alcohol defined by DSM IV criteria. Additionally, positive test results for drug use on the day of the scan, apart of marijuana, will result in cancelling or rescheduling the scan because acute use will impact MRI measures. * Physical conditions (e.g. diabetes mellitus, pregnancy) known to influence eating or weight * Neurological disorder, neurodevelopmental disorder, or history of head injury with \>30 min loss of consciousness * Any contraindication to undergoing an MRI * Primary obsessive compulsive disorder or primary major depressive disorder Additional Exclusion Criteria for AN Group: * If taking other psychotropic medication, any change in dosage in the 2 weeks before scanning Additional Exclusion Criteria for Healthy Control Group: * Meet or met criteria for the diagnosis of any psychiatric disorder in their lifetime * Any history of binge eating or purging behaviors, including self-induced vomiting, laxative or diuretic misuse * Use of any psychoactive or other medication known to affect mood or concentration in the last 3 months * Have maintained 90% to 120% ideal body weight since menarche

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anorexia nervosa

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Anorexia nervosa

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of California, San Diego

    San Diego, California, 92121, United States

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