Biasing Food Value Construction

Constructing the Subjective Value of Food in Anorexia Nervosa

The goal of this clinical trial is to examine whether food value construction can be biased in individuals with anorexia nervosa. The main question it aims to answer is:

Can a simple training task increase the importance of relevant food attributes such that subsequent choices about what to eat in individuals with anorexia nervosa will look more like those of healthy eaters?

Participants will undergo a simple training paradigm where they view food items and focus on different attributes (e.g., its tastiness or healthiness). Participants will then be asked to make decisions about what foods they'd like to eat.

Inclusion Criteria:

• aged 16-35 years
• male or female
• able to read and speak English

Exclusion Criteria for all participants:

• history of concussion or neurological disease
• full scale IQ estimate < 80;
• taking medication that has been shown to affect attention or learning (i.e., second generation antipsychotics, memantine, methylphenidate, or modafinil)

Exclusion Criteria for participants with anorexia nervosa:

• current psychosis, bipolar disorder, or substance dependence
• body mass index < 14
• vital sign or laboratory abnormalities indicating medical instability