BRAIN fMRI study (Body Relations Agency and Image Network) v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Neural and behavioural correlates of disordered agency and body image in relational disorder
IRAS ID
274202
Contact name
Susan Mizen
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Exeter University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 10 months, 31 days
Research summary
Do unconscious (implicit) psychological conflicts in relationships give rise to psychological symptoms and are specific symptoms associated with distinct ways of relating to others? This question is important because the detail of the interpersonal stressors which contribute to the development of mental health problems is poorly understood. Understanding these mechanisms may promote more refined psychological approaches to complex mental health problems.
The BRAIN fMRI study is a behavioural experiment and fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) study of psychiatric patients with either restricting eating disorders or functional movement disorders arising from underlying relational disorder (Personality Disorder) and healthy volunteer control participants. The patients will be current service users from Devon Partnership NHS Trust and the control participants will be recruited from students and staff at the University of Exeter.
Following screening to exclude mental health problems (control group) and a meeting to obtain informed consent and put a risk assessment and recovery plan in place (patient group) all participants will be invited to attend two study days.
On the first day participants will undertake a video recorded psycho-therapeutic interview, diagnostic interview and a series of psychological tests. These will be scored and rated and the data used to inform the second test day. On the second day participants will undertake further audio recorded narrative interviews to elicit individual emotional response data and a behavioural experiment measuring emotional egocentricity bias before undergoing two fMRI brain scans. The first scan involves recalling narratives on cue from a picture set, the second scan involves participation in a virtual ball throwing game.
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/PR/0040
Date of REC Opinion
31 Jul 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion