A Protocol for Integrating Neuroscience Into Studies of Family-Based Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa: An Approach to Research and Potential Benefits for Clinical Care

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a life-threatening disorder with peak onset during adolescence. Prior research supports the effectiveness of family-based treatment (FBT) for AN in adolescents, but studies do not regularly include neuroimaging to investigate the effects of FBT on the brain. This is important because we know that malnutrition has a detrimental impact on brain volume, cortical thickness, and function, which often recover with weight restoration. Additionally, early weight gain in FBT has emerged as a robust predictor of treatment outcome, yet it is unclear whether it is associated with neural change. Understanding neural change during treatment, particularly in the early weeks, has the potential to improve outcome by enhancing motivation for rapid behavior change, while also highlighting mechanisms by which early treatment response leads to improved outcome. This manuscript describes a study protocol and discusses both challenges and implications for this type of integrative research.