How talk therapy changes the brain in eating disorders

Plain-English translation of NCT07037017 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated June 2025 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.

What is this trial?

This research is testing whether cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)—a structured talking therapy—actually changes how your brain and body work when you think about food and your body image. Researchers will measure brain activity, skin responses, and eye movement before and after 12 weeks of weekly therapy sessions to understand exactly how this treatment helps people recover from restrictive eating disorders.

While cognitive-behavioral therapy has proven helpful for eating disorders, doctors don't fully understand the brain and body changes that happen during recovery. This study aims to map those changes so we can better understand why the therapy works and potentially improve treatment in the future.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are a woman aged 18 to 35
you have been diagnosed with restrictive-type anorexia nervosa
you are medically stable enough to participate in therapy and brain testing
you are willing to attend weekly one-hour therapy sessions for 12 weeks
you have not received structured cognitive-behavioral therapy for an eating disorder before

You likely don't qualify if…

you have been diagnosed with bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, or other eating disorders
you have a severe mental health condition like psychosis or bipolar disorder
you have a history of traumatic brain injury or neurological illness
you are taking psychiatric medications (must stop at least 6 weeks before)
you are pregnant or have visual or neurological problems that would interfere with brain and eye-tracking testing

What participation looks like

If you're in the therapy group, you'll attend one hour of one-on-one cognitive-behavioral therapy each week for 12 weeks with a trained therapist. Before therapy starts and after it ends, you'll complete two testing visits where researchers measure your brain activity with electrodes, check your skin responses to stress, and track where your eyes look at images of food and bodies. If you're in the waitlist group, you'll complete the same testing visits at the beginning and end of 12 weeks, but won't receive therapy during the study.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 23, 2026 · Not medical advice

How talk therapy changes the brain in eating disorders

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations