Auditory Sensory Attenuation in Anorexia Nervosa

NCT06298526 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 21C307
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 31
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this observational cross-sectional study is to test the sensory attenuation effect with auditory stimuli comparing women affected by anorexia nervosa and healthy-weight women. Specifically, the study aims to test whether the sensory attenuation effect (i.e., the perceived loudness of a self-generated sound is weaker than when another person produces the same sound): i) is observed in anorexia nervosa ii) it can be modulated in interactive action contexts, as was previously observed in healthy participants. Participants will compare the loudness of target sound with a comparison tone, which can be prompt by the participant by pressing a button on their own will (i.e., individual context) or upon the experimenter\'s signal (i.e., interactive context); externally-generated sounds are produced in the opposite way.

Conditions

Anorexia Nervosa

Keywords

anorexia nervosa; sensory attenuation; anhedonia; cognitive empathy; interpersonal difficulties

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• point of subjective equality (PSE)

  individual PSE in each experimental condition is obtained by fitting observed judgements of loudness, relative to seven possible comparison tones. The PSE represents the tone loudness that participants perceive as loud as the target sound (i.e., the sound intensity which records only 50% of correct judgments "which sounds was louder?")

  day 1

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• cognitive empathy

  day 1

• interpersonal pleasure

  day 1

Study Arms (2)

women with anorexia nervosa

DSM-V criteria for anorexia nervosa must be satisfied

healthy weight women

BMI range: 19-29 kg/m2

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

women affected by anorexia nervosa will be recruited at the IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, San Giuseppe Hospital, Piancavallo, VB, Italia (eating and nutritional disorders ward). women with healthy weight will be recruited in the local community and among the researchers contacts

You may qualify if:

• diagnosis of anorexia nervosa according to the DSM-V classification (experimental group)
• BMI ranged between 19 - 25 kg/m2 (controls)
• handedness: right

You may not qualify if:

• history of eating disorders (controls)
• major psychiatric conditions (e.g., psychosis, personality disorders)
• developmental disorders (e.g., autism spectrum disorders)
• neurological or brain injuries disorders
• motor impairments

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istituto Auxologico Italiano: lead

Study Sites (1)

IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, San Giuseppe Hospital

Piancavallo, VCO, 28824, Italy

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Colle L, Hilviu D, Boggio M, Toso A, Longo P, Abbate-Daga G, Garbarini F, Fossataro C. Abnormal sense of agency in eating disorders. Sci Rep. 2023 Aug 30;13(1):14176. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-41345-5.

  PMID: 37648816 BACKGROUND

• Weiss C, Herwig A, Schutz-Bosbach S. The self in social interactions: sensory attenuation of auditory action effects is stronger in interactions with others. PLoS One. 2011;6(7):e22723. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022723. Epub 2011 Jul 27.

  PMID: 21818373 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Anorexia Nervosa; Anhedonia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Feeding and Eating Disorders; Mental Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE CONTROL
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 1, 2024
• First Posted: March 7, 2024
• Study Start: March 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: February 29, 2024
• Study Completion: June 30, 2025
• Last Updated: September 8, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: CSR
• Access Criteria: Experimental data will be provided upon reasonable request to the Authors. Requests can be send through the repository platform (log-in on the platform is required)

Locations

IT (1)