Oxford Brain-Body Research into Eating Disorders

Our aims

Our work focuses on Anorexia Nervosa, a severe eating disorder, which has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder. It  remains one of the most challenging to treat and recover from, with a lack of evidence-based treatments. We aim to develop more effective treatments we need a better understanding of processes underpinning the illness.

Innovation

We are proud of the innovative way our research brings together cognitive science, neuroscience and experimental psychology. This integration helps generate a deeper understanding of how cognitive, emotional and bodily processes interact to maintain the illness.With an international reputation in the field of Eating Disorders, we  have made important advances in understanding the neurobiology of Anorexia Nervosa using functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI and MEG. These findings not only help us to better understand the disorder but enable us to push forward with research that is directly relevant to the development of new treatments.

Collaboration

In collaboration with world-class neuroscientists our work investigates brain processes underpinning thinking, feeling and experiencing reward, and how these differ for people with Anorexia Nervosa. Recent research has focused on the role of ruminative thought processes,  abnormal reward processing and compulsivity. We hope to translate research findings into developing new forms of treatment and relapse prevention.

Multimodal Imaging

In  collaboration with Professor Tipu Aziz, the Nuffield Department of Surgery, the Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities and  the Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity allowed us to initiate complimentary multimodal imaging studies of neural processing and reward in individuals with current and past Anorexia Nervosa, now published.

Deep Brain Stimulation

We also developed the first registered UK study of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) targeted at neural reward centres, for individuals with severe enduring Anorexia Nervosa, with full HRA approval. These studies explored the neural processing and behavioural correlates of aberrant reward and habit formation in Anorexia Nervosa, and importantly to set the worlds first  ethical  gold standard to guide experimental brain research in  Anorexia nervosa. The findings will contribute to  an understanding of the neural processes underpinning Anorexia Nervosa and in tandem develop novel treatment strategies. With the aid of additional grants and generous charitable donations we continue with DBS study, which is now in the follow-up phase. We have now published the protocol and an important ethics gold standard to guide such studies worldwide.

Affiliated groups:

OxBREaD benefits from affiliations with HBA  well established groups within the Department of Psychiatry:

Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, OHBA

Wellcome Centre for ethics and humanities :  Professor Ilina Singh

CREDO1: Professor Chris Fairburn’s research group is world leading in the development of treatments for Eating Disorders.

PERL: Professors Catherine Harmer's group has an international reputation for excellence in the field of neuroscience and neuroimaging.