Biological treatments for co-occurring eating disorders and psychological trauma: a systematic review.
Frontiers in psychiatry January 1, 2025 Ella van Beers, Irene de Vries, Caroline Planting et al. 2 citations
Many people with eating disorders have a history of childhood maltreatment or trauma, yet few studies have tested treatments that address both conditions together. This systematic review of 11 studies found that biological interventions—including repurposed medications, ketamine, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), deep brain stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy, MDMA, and neurofeedback—all showed some improvement in eating disorder or trauma symptoms. The strongest effects were seen with rTMS and MDMA. However, missing data and selective reporting limited the reliability of these findings, and adverse events were common. More research is needed on combined treatments for this complex patient group.