Are there any other treatments for anorexia nervosa?

    Written by:

    Fact-checked

    by:

    Last Updated: May 16, 2025

    Deep brain stimulation has shown promise in improving psychiatric symptoms and weight restoration in anorexia nervosa, but further studies are needed due to limited participant numbers. Additionally, although intranasal oxytocin appears to be ineffective, social support and mindfulness practices may help alleviate some psychological symptoms.

    Deep brain stimulation — which uses implanted electrodes to send electrical signals to certain brain regions — has been shown to improve psychiatric symptoms, quality of life, and weight restoration in people with anorexia nervosa. However, due to the very low number of participants, more studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results.[1][2][3]

    Intranasal oxytocin has also been studied, but it doesn't appear to have any effect on eating disorder symptoms in anorexia nervosa.[4][5][3]

    Social support and mindfulness practices can also help to improve some of the psychological symptoms of anorexia.[6][3]

    Are there any other treatments for anorexia nervosa? - Examine