A severe, potentially grave eating disorder Anorexia nervosa is characterized by self-starvation and extreme weight loss. Anorexia patients can’t lead a normal life.

A new study conducted by British researchers suggests that brain stimulation could lessen main symptoms of the eating disorder. This new way has shown promise in the treatment of depression, drug addiction and anorexia. In this treatment, magnetic coils are kept over the portion of the brain that is known to be considerably significant for self-control and generally doesn’t function properly in anorexia patients.

A research group from King's College headed by Jessica McClelland has studied people suffering from anorexia prior to and after they underwent a number of Repetitive Transcranial Stimulation or rTMS. It is a treatment granted for depression patients.

McClelland said, “We found one session of rTMS reduced urge to restrict food intake, levels of feeling full, and levels of feeling fat, encouraging more prudent decision-making. Taken together, these findings suggest brain stimulation may reduce anorexia symptoms by improving cognitive control over compulsive features of disorder”.

Senior author Professor Ulrike Schmidt from the IoPPN at King's College London said that anorexia nervosa apparently affect 4% of women in their lifetime. With the passage of time, anorexia becomes kind of unshakable in the brain and more and more tough to treat. The author said that their preliminary findings have backed the potential of novel brain-directed treatments for anorexia, which are badly required.

The study included 49 participants. Roughly 20% of people who suffer from anorexia die early due to the condition.