Can a memory drug break the grip of Anorexia's rigid habits?
NCT ID NCT06518941
First seen Aug 03, 2026 · Last updated Aug 04, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether donepezil, a medication used for memory, can help adults with anorexia nervosa weaken the strong habits that drive restrictive eating. Ten participants will receive the drug for up to 8 weeks while staying in an inpatient unit, with weekly check-ins to monitor side effects. Researchers will also measure changes in habit strength and food preferences to see if the approach is worth studying further.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- donepezil
- What this could lead to
- If donepezil proves tolerable and shows promise, it could offer a new medication to help people with anorexia nervosa break rigid eating habits and improve recovery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early-stage trial focused on feasibility and safety, not effectiveness. Donepezil may cause side effects, and results may not apply to all patients.
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.
- Phase
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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 10 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Jan 2027
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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.
- Ages
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18 to 60 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: 1. Provision of signed and dated informed consent form. 2. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study (Clinical interview). 3. Aged 18-60 years (Clinical interview). 4. Diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (EDA-5). 5. BMI ≥ 15 kg/m2 (Clinical team medical record) Exclusion Criteria: 1. Score of High Risk on the Columbia Suicide Severity Scale (C-SSRS). 2. Pregnancy (Serum pregnancy test on admission). 3. Current diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, bipolar (type I), or substance use disorder (SCID). 4. Bradycardia (below 60 bpm) (vital signs measurement by the clinical team) 5. Corrected QT interval (QTc) greater than 480 ms at baseline (EKG). 6. Antipsychotic medication (antidepressants at a stable dose are allowed) (clinical interview). 7. Known allergic reactions to components of the donepezil (e.g., known hypersensitivity to donepezil hydrochloride) (clinical interview). 8. History of peptic ulcer disease (clinical interview). 9. History of arrhythmia (clinical interview).
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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New York State Psychiatric Institute
New York, New York, 10032, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can a pudding snack reveal how the brain misreads the stomach?
- Could the gut microbiome hold clues to eating disorder recovery?
- Can a parent support group help teens with both autism and anorexia?
- Lab-Grown brain cells could unlock Anorexia's secrets
- Can science unlock the secrets of the naturally lean?