The primary objective is to examine whether binge eating females demonstrate an (enhanced) attentional bias towards food-related stimuli as compared to females who are not familiar with food binges. This will be investigated by means of three…
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Eating disorders and disturbances
Synonym
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
The main study parameters to assess whether there are differences in the
attentional processing of food stimuli, food cue-elicited craving and eating
behavior in women with and without food binges are:
- Visual dot probe task: average reaction time to a probe when this probe
appears at the position of a food picture (congruent trials), relative to the
average reaction time to the probe when the probe appears at the position of a
neutral picture (incongruent trials). The difference score is the congruency
effect (index of attentional bias).
- Eye-tracking: total fixation time, total fixation frequency and average
glance duration towards pictures of food (relative to neutral pictures)
- Event-related potentials (counting task): amplitude of the P3 and LPP
components (indices of motivated attention) elicited by pictures of food
(relative to non-food-related pictures).
- Self-report questionnaire scores with regard to (pretest + posttest) food
craving and hunger
- Food diary: pretest and posttest energy intake
Secondary outcome
Other parameters of interest / possible confounders are:
- Scores on self-report questionnaires with regard to eating behavior and
eating disorder symptoms, affect and depressive symptoms;
- Valence and arousal ratings of the used pictorial stimuli
- Body Mass Index [body weight (kg)/length (m)²]
- Age
- Educational level
Background summary
Binge eating is a core diagnostic criterion of bulimia nervosa and binge eating
disorder. Long-term treatment of binge eating behavior is complicated and
relapse rates are high. More knowledge of the maintaining mechanisms of binge
eating is necessary to improve treatments. Based on addiction models, the
present study investigates whether an attentional bias towards food stimuli
might be a maintaining mechanism underlying food binges. The enhanced
attentional processing of food stimuli in the environment is believed to elicit
intense food craving and (binge) eating behavior in binge eating patients, even
in the absence of hunger.
Study objective
The primary objective is to examine whether binge eating females demonstrate an
(enhanced) attentional bias towards food-related stimuli as compared to females
who are not familiar with food binges. This will be investigated by means of
three measures which are related to attention allocation: a visual dot probe
paradigm (behavioral task), eye tracking (physiological measure), and
event-related potentials (brain activity / electrophysiological measure).
Another important objective is to examine whether an attentional bias to food
elicits further food cue-reactivity in binge eating females (and not or less
pronounced in non-binge eaters), such as self-reported food craving and (binge)
eating behavior.
Study design
The present study is an observational study, including one experimental
session, which takes place at Erasmus University. After written informed
consent is obtained, the participant is asked to fill in some questionnaires
concerning her affective state, eating behavior, and eating disorder symptoms,
as well as a 2-day food diary. Before the start of the experiment, the
participant is asked to abstain from food for 3 hours. At arrival in the
Erasmus Behavioral Lab, the participant is required to fill in some short
questionnaires concerning affect, food craving and hunger. Hereafter she will
do a visual dot-probe (computer) task while her eye-movements are recorded.
Subsequently, EEG electrodes will be attached, followed by a task, in which the
participant has to count the number of pictures of a certain category. At the
end of the experiment, subjects will again be asked to complete some
questionnaires. Participants will receive a financial reward for their
participation.
Study burden and risks
Participation in this study will take 2 - 2.5 hours in total, spread over two
days (1.5 hours in the lab + 30 minutes to 1 hour at home, see study design).
There are no risks involved with participation. There are also no direct
benefits for the participants, but the scientific benefits may be extensive.
Postbus 1738
3000 DR Rotterdam
Nederland
Postbus 1738
3000 DR Rotterdam
Nederland
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
Female; age 18+;
Patients: meet the DSM-IV criteria for bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder;
Controls: no current (or past) diagnosis / treatment for eating disorders as defined by DSM-IV; report no food binges.
Exclusion criteria
(1) Indications of severe psychopathology (other than the eating disorder in the
patient group);
(2) a history of drug abuse;
(3) a history of neurological problems;
(4) current use of any medication that might influence eating behavior, body weight
or EEG activity;
(5) color blindness and poor vision
(6) not wanting to be informed about unexpected EEG-findings
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL25498.078.08 |