Primary ObjectiveTo assess in 20 adolescents with anorexia nervosa the cognitive flexibility in response to two computerised category learning tasks and compare these results to a age and gender matched control group. Task one will present pictures…
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Eating disorders and disturbances
Synonym
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
Set-shifting abilities
Levels of Intolerance of uncertainty
Secondary outcome
Levels of Sensititvity to rewward and punishment
Levels of behavioural inhibition and behavioural activation.
Background summary
Anorexia Nervosa is an extremely debilitating, often chronic, illness with
high rates of mortality. Patients often are very inflexible in their thinking,
which tends to negatively affect treatment success. This cognitive
inflexibility (such as set-shifting) has been hypothesized to be an
endophenotype for anorexia nervosa. If this is indeed the case, then these
abnormalities should be developing in adolescent youth, but as yet studies
investigating this are lacking.
Study objective
Primary Objective
To assess in 20 adolescents with anorexia nervosa the cognitive flexibility in
response to two computerised category learning tasks and compare these results
to a age and gender matched control group. Task one will present pictures of
houses and castles that differ in detail in the drawing. Subjects then have to
learn which building type is category An or category B. During the task
application the rules change, and subjects have to learn the new rule. Task two
will present abstract stripes of carrying orientation and thickness. Similar
to Task one, subject have to categorise the patterns and learn changing uses.
Hypothesis 2: we hypothesise that AN subject will take longer to learn the new
rule and will make more mistakes after the rule changes. This is a sign of
impaired cognitive flexibility.
Secondary Objective(s)
To assess the level of uncertainty in adolescents with AN in relation to
cognitive flexibility. The *Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale* can be used to
measure whether patients respond with a sense of uncertainty and helplessness
to every day situations.
Hypothesis 2: We hypothesise that AN subjects with high uncertainty scores will
have more problems with cognitive flexibility as assessed in the two tasks
described above.
Study design
Participants will at only one time point be asked to complete 3 questionnaires
and 2 computer tasks. This will in total take about 60 minutes and will all
take place at Rintveld (patients) or at home (healthy controls).
Study burden and risks
Risks are minimal, for example tiredness after the research.
Heidelberglaan 1 1
Utrecht 3584 CS
NL
Heidelberglaan 1 1
Utrecht 3584 CS
NL
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
AN group: Adolescents (12-17 years old) who have been given a diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa.;HC group: Adolescents (12-17 years old) who not have a history of Anorexia Nervosa
Exclusion criteria
AN group: Other eating disorder; younger than 12 or older than 17; medically or psychologically unstable.;HC group: Any eating disorder; younger than 12 or older than 17; medically or psychologically unstable.
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 | NL43760.041.13 |