ACCELECT

Steigerung kognitiver Kontrolle bei der Binge Eating Störung durch elektrische Hirnstimulation

01/10/2017 to 31/12/2021

Patients with binge eating disorder (BED) form a subgroup of obese patients with a disinhibited eating pattern that is associated with impairments in cognitive control. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) has been identified as a brain region closely tied to cognitive control processes and crucially involved in the control of eating behaviour. This suggests the dlPFC as a target for the modulation of cognitive control processes over eating in BED. This modulation can be achieved by both, a cognitive training task and by non-invasive brain stimulation using tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation). In studies with healthy normal-weight participants, (1) different cognitive training task enhance control over eating behaviour, (2) tDCS is an effective tool to ameliorate cognitive control processes, and (3) has beneficial effects on motivational aspects of eating behaviour, i.e. food craving. Based on this evidence, we will use a combination of a cognitive control task and tDCS to enhance cognitive control over eating in patients with BED. In a proof-of-concept study, we will investigate (a) the enhancing effects of tDCS on performance in a cognitive control task, (b) the involvement of the dlPFC in performance and performance improvements, (c) differential effects of tDCS on task performance depending on weight status and food deprivation and (d) predictors of tDCS effects on task performance. In a subsequent clinical pilot trial, we will use the cognitive task as a training tool and will investigate (a) the feasibility of a tDCS-enhanced training in BED patients, (b) the efficacy of a tDCS-enhanced training to increase cognitive control over eating in BED patients and (c) the generalizability of the tDCS-enhanced training. This is to the best of our knowledge the first study to use non-invasive brain stimulation in BED patients and one of the first studies to use tDCS as an intervention to enhance cognitive control over eating.