Neuromodulation in the treatment of anorexia nervosa - a literature review

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Introduction Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a disorder in which an unnaturally low body weight is deliberately maintained, with the coexistence of a distorted body image. The effectiveness of AN treatment so far is about 40%. For this reason, new methods of treatment are sought, which include brain neuromodulation techniques. Purpose The aim of this article was to determine the effectiveness of neuromodulation techniques in the treatment of AN. Materials and methods The literature on the use of neuromodulation techniques in patients with AN was reviewed via electronic databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, ClinicalTrial.gov. The scope of the search was limited to 01/01/2008-03/01/2023. Articles in English, such as: randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, case reports, were included. In order to verify the quality of the article, the six-point SANRA scale (Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles) was used. Results The results of the studies conducted so far are not homogeneous. The limitation of conclusions is primarily due to the small number and type of clinical trials conducted, involving small groups of subjects. The literature on the subject lacks systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which makes it impossible to reliably determine the effectiveness of therapy. Conclusions Based on Evidence-Based Medicine and the level of credibility of the available data, there is insufficient evidence to recommend neuromodulation techniques for the standard treatment of AN. Further randomized, double-blind clinical trials are needed to assess the effectiveness of this form of treatment. However, the existing data are promising.