Overview
The study is to evaluate the feasibility of using a non-invasive brain stimulation device in a sample of inpatients with eating disorders (ED). The study will help researchers evaluate whether their device protocol is practical for eating disorder inpatients as a way to manage eating disorder and anxiety symptoms. A secondary aim of the study is to evaluate preliminary effectiveness of the protocol for reducing pre-meal anxiety during the treatment, and explore effects on eating disorder symptoms over the course of the inpatient admission.
Description
Evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a protocol for using Alpha-Stim AID® (explicitly references the patented waveform and delivery method in the Alpha-Stim AID® device manufactured and marketed by Electromedical Products International, Mineral Wells, TX) to manage acute pre-meal anxiety in eating disorder inpatients indicated by recruitment and retention, dropout reasoning, nature and frequency of patient-reported side effects, level of missing patient-reported data, staff perception and patient perception. Secondary outcomes include pre-meal anxiety rated on a 0-10 visual analogue scale, eating disorder symptom severity during the three-session protocol and across the inpatient admission using the Eating Disorder-15 assessment, and clinical impairment from disordered eating using the Clinical Impairment Assessment-Eating only version, across the same timepoints.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 18-30 years old at the time of enrollment
- Enrolled in Rogers Behavioral Health Eating Disorder Recovery Program Inpatient Unit at the Oconomowoc, WI clinic location
- Have a primary diagnosis of any DSM-5 eating disorder (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, other specified feeding or eating disorder)
- Ability to communicate effectively using written and spoken English
- Participant is eligible for mealtime anxiety support based on:
- ≤ 75% meal plan compliance
- Visible anxiety/distress during program meals
- Engagement in compensatory behaviors or self-harm before, during, or after meals, or medical staff judge patient to be at risk of same
Exclusion Criteria:
- Metal in the body of any kind (e.g., braces, pacemakers, metal plates or screws, intracranial electrodes, implanted devices/defibrillators, prostheses)
- Currently taking medication that reduces seizure threshold (e.g., clomipramine)
- Cranial pathologies (e.g., holes, plates)
- History of seizure or black-out concussion
- Pregnancy
- Risk of suicide/self-harm by self-strangulation with cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) device judged by study medical staff
- Participant calibrates to a stimulation level below 200 microampere (μA)