Electrode therapy potential treatment for anorexia

A study published in Lancet Psychiatry has suggested that deep brain stimulation could be a new way to treat severe anorexia nervosa.

The research involved studying 16 people aged between 21 and 57 who had had anorexia for an average of 18 years and had tried all other available treatments. At the beginning of the study, electrodes were placed in specific areas of their brains, thought to be linked to anorexia.

Within a few months, some patients felt symptoms of depression and anxiety had improved and 12 months later, a number of the patients had gained weight, with the average body mass index of the group increasing from 13.8 to 17.3.

Researchers also found that there were persistent changes in the areas of the brain linked to anorexia, even after a year year of electrical stimulation.

In an interview with the BBC, Dr Nir Lipsman, a neurosurgeon at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, told the BBC: "There are currently no effective treatments for people with long-standing anorexia nervosa - people who are often the sickest and most vulnerable of dying from the condition.

"Our work, which builds on earlier trials, is one of the first brain-based strategies that has been shown to help with chronic anorexia.

"And my hope is that through this research we are also validating the idea that anorexia is a brain-based illness, not a personality or lifestyle choice."

Prof Rebecca Park, of the Royal College of Psychiatrists said: "While these results are encouraging, we must remember that deep brain stimulation for anorexia nervosa is a high risk, experimental treatment.

"In Oxford, we are running the sole registered UK trial of this kind.

"Central to our work is the development of an ethical standard that ensures vulnerable individuals are not inadvertently exploited by this treatment."