title: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation reduces cue-induced food craving in bulimic disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Craving or the "urge to consume" is a characteristic of bulimic eating disorders and addictions. Dysfunction of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is associated with craving. We investigated whether stimulation of the DLPFC reduces food craving in people with a bulimic-type eating disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight people with bulimic-type eating disorders were randomly allocated to receive one session of real or sham high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the left DLPFC in a double-blind procedure. Outcome measures included self-reported food craving immediately after the stimulation session and frequency of bingeing over a 24-hour follow-up period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with sham control, real rTMS was associated with decreased self-reported urge to eat and fewer binge-eating episodes over the 24 hours following stimulation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-frequency rTMS of the left DLPFC lowers cue-induced food cravings in people with a bulimic eating disorder and may reduce binge eating. These results provide a rationale for exploring rTMS as a treatment for bulimic eating disorders.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom. Frederique.vandeneynde@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Frederique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van den Eynde
authors.forename: Angelica M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Claudino
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mogg
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Horrell
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stahl
authors.forename: Wagner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uher
authors.forename: Iain
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003463:Cues; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult