Disentangling Emotional Processing from Regulation in Bulimia Nervosa

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The Neural Bases of Emotional Processing and Regulation in Bulimia Nervosa: Disentangling Emotional Processing from Regulation

• IRAS ID

  254746

• Contact name

  Laura Renshaw-Vuillier

• Contact email

  lrenshawvuillier@bournemouth.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Bournemouth University

• Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

  NCT03781921

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 11 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  This project aims to explore emotional processing and regulation in individuals with Bulimia Nervosa (BN) with a view to better understand its underlying causes. Previous research suggests that binge eating and purging behaviours may be linked to difficulties with emotions and impulses. However, most of the research has been conducted using self-reporting, despite the fact that these individuals have difficulties identifying and describing their emotions (known as alexithymia), making the use of self-reporting questionable. This project is the first to use electroencephalography (EEG) as an objective method to disentangle emotional processing and regulation in these individuals. A combination of three tasks and questionnaires will be used to measure various aspects of an emotional response and its link to impulsive behaviours in individuals with BN (N=35) and healthy controls (N=35). This study has the potential to inform future treatment for these individuals.
  This study will be conducted at Bournemouth University and participants with bulimia nervosa will be recruited via the local NHS clinic (Kimmeridge Court, Dorset). Eligible participants will be asked to complete a survey asking them about their eating habits and the way they usually deal with their emotions. Participants will then be asked to come to the laboratory to conduct three short tasks while we record their brain activity. Each task lasts about 20 minutes and there will be breaks to prevent fatigue. The whole session will take approximately 3 hours, including the time needed to set up and remove the electrodes.

• REC name

  HSC REC A

• REC reference

  19/NI/0038

• Date of REC Opinion

  6 Mar 2019

• REC opinion

  Unfavourable Opinion