Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Objective: This study investigated the effect of a single administration of real and sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on food craving, food intake, and binge desire in individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) and tested interactions with sex for each of these variables. Method: 30 participants (F=20, M=10) with clinician-diagnosed BED (N=19) or sub-threshold BED (N=11) were recruited. Participants were administered a 20-minute 2mA session of tDCS with placement of anode right / cathode left over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and a sham session. Outcomes on an in-lab eating test, craving assessed by food photos, Likert responses for binge desire, and relevant sex differences were assessed. Results: tDCS significantly decreased food intake (F(1, 29) = 4.35, p = 0.046; partial eta squared = 0.13) with the greatest suppression on the preferred food (F(1,29) = 5.35, p = 0.03, partial eta squared = 0.16). Males had greater reduction in overall food craving (F(1,28) = 4.09, p = 0.05, partial eta squared= 0.13), dessert craving (F(1,28) = 4.99, p = 0.03, partial eta squared = 0.15), and marginally greater reduction for carbohydrate craving (F(1,28) = 3.79, p = 0.06, partial eta squared = 0.12). tDCS decreased desire to binge only in males (F(1,28) = 4.77, p = 0.04, partial eta squared = 0.19). Increased intent to restrict food intake significantly predicted greater reduction in food intake by tDCS (Beta = -0.39, p = 0.048, R2 = 0.19, Cohen's f2 = 0.23). Discussion: Multiple tDCS session-induced neuroplasticity holds promise as a safe and longer-lasting treatment adjunct for BED, particularly for males with BED. Right DLPFC anode placement suggests enhanced cognitive control as a functional mechanism for the anti-binge effects of tDCS.