FUS Neuromodulation for Binge Eating Disorder

November 9, 2026 updated by: Ali Rezai

Early Feasibility Study of Focused Ultrasound (FUS) Neuromodulation in Patients With Binge Eating Disorder

This study is a prospective, single-center, single-arm early feasibility study, to establish safety and tolerability of FUS neuromodulation in patients with Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The primary objective is to evaluate the safety, feasibility and tolerability of FUS as an adjunct neuromodulatory treatment for BED

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

15

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • West Virginia
      • Morgantown, West Virginia, United States, 26506
        • West Virginia University: Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

A candidate will be eligible if they meet all the following criteria:

  • Age 18-80 years at time of enrollment.
  • Diagnosis of moderate to extreme binge eating disorder (BED) per DSM-5-TR criteria
  • Participant is able and willing to give informed consent.
  • Participant is willing to cooperate with the study requirements, including compliance with the regimen, completion of all study visits, and study assessments.
  • Participants of reproductive potential must have negative pregnancy test and agree to use acceptable forms of contraception.
  • Participant able to communicate sensations during the procedure.

A candidate will be excluded if they meet any of the following criteria:

  • Unable to undergo MR-imaging or clinically significant MRI findings
  • History of any clinically significant neurological disorder.
  • Evidence of substance (alcohol or other drug) use disorder during the previous 12 months .
  • Past or present diagnosis of psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder
  • Currently taking opioid pain medications or positive drug screen for opiates.
  • If participants are on medication for the treatment of binge eating disorder or obesity (they must be on a stable dose for at least one month and agree to not begin a medication until after their Week 12 visit.
  • Subject has a lifetime history or current symptoms consistent with bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa .
  • Have a recorded or self-reported change in body weight >11 lbs. within 3 months prior to screening
  • Have a prior or planned surgical treatment for obesity (excluding lap-band if removed >6 months prior to screening or liposuction or abdominoplasty if performed >1 year prior to screening)
  • Have or plan to have endoscopic and/or device-based therapy for obesity or have had device removal within the last 6 months prior to screening
  • History of medically verified suicide attempt within the past year. Clinically significant suicide risk
  • Participant who is currently participating in another clinical investigation with an active treatment arm.
  • Participant is considered to be a poor surgical or study candidate, which may include, but is not limited to the following: any medical, social, or psychological problem that could complicate the required procedures and evaluations of the study in the judgment of the investigator.
  • Participant is pregnant/ lactating or planning to be pregnant.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: FUS Neuromodulation
Device: LIFU Neuromodulation

Subjects will undergo a single LIFU of the target brain region

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Occurrence of Treatment Emergent Adverse Events
Time Frame: baseline compared to 4 and 12 weeks after study procedure

All adverse events that are related to FUS procedure will be assessed
baseline compared to 4 and 12 weeks after study procedure

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Food craving
Time Frame: Week 4 and 12 comparisons will be made relative to baseline

Visual Analog scale
Week 4 and 12 comparisons will be made relative to baseline
Change in Eating behavior
Time Frame: Week 4 and 12 comparisons will be made relative to baseline

As measured by self-report binge eating, the Eating Disorder Examination-Interview (EDE-I),
Week 4 and 12 comparisons will be made relative to baseline
change in eating Behavior
Time Frame: Week 4 and 12 comparisons will be made relative to baseline

As measured by self-report binge eating Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire EDE_Q
Week 4 and 12 comparisons will be made relative to baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Ali Rezai

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Ali Rezai, WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

November 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 30, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

November 30, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 9, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 23, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

October 30, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 9, 2026

Last Verified

October 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • FUS_NMD_BED02

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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