Ultrasound Brain Treatment for Severe Eating Disorders

This trial is testing MR-guided focused ultrasound capsulotomy, a precise ultrasound procedure performed inside an MRI scanner that targets a specific area deep in the brain. The treatment is designed for people with severe, long-standing anorexia nervosa who have tried multiple treatments without sustained improvement and who also struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder or major depression. This medication works by using heat to gently lesion a tiny area believed to be involved in both eating behaviors and mood regulation.

Anorexia nervosa is a life-threatening condition, and when standard treatments like therapy and hospitalization don't work, patients have very few options left. This trial exists to see whether the new treatment might help people whose eating disorder has become resistant to conventional care, especially when accompanied by anxiety or depression.