Neuroscience-informed Treatment to Remotely Target Reward Mechanisms in Post-acute Anorexia Nervosa

PAT-AN is an adaptation of the cognitive-behavioral outpatient individual therapy for anhedonia (17, 68). The overarching aim of PAT-AN is to enhance reward sensitivity (reward anticipation, experiencing, and learning) to non-eating disorder experiences and to decrease or replace reward sensitivity to weight-loss experiences (26). PAT-AN includes 6 sequential modules, each designated to target specific reward sensitivity disturbances (26, 68). Homework and experiential practice during sessions are essential components of PAT-AN, and participants are provided a workbook to assist with this practice. During each session, collaborative homework review is followed by skill development and homework assignments.

The comparison treatment is modeled off of educational and behavioral interventions used in prior clinical trials for AN and common elements of standard behavioral eating disorder treatments. The treatment is structured to parallel the modular format of PAT-AN.