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Eating Disorders Research Group

The Eating Disorders Research Group aims to find out more about the neurobiological, genetic and psychological causes and consequences of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and other eating disorders, and to use that knowledge to develop new and better treatments.  

Research is closely interwoven with clinical services run by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), which serves a population of two million people in south east London and takes specialist referrals from throughout the UK. SLaM’s eating disorder services for adults include outpatient and day care services at the Maudsley Hospital and an inpatient and rehabilitation unit (Step Up to Recovery service) at the Bethlem Royal Hospital in Kent. 

Many of the people referred to these services, and their families, participate in the group’s research projects. These projects are often conducted in collaboration with Beat (formerly the Eating Disorders Association), the UK’s leading eating disorders charity. 

Toolkit for carers 

The SUCCEED Charity has developed a DVD which contains video clips subtitled in several languages that illustrate the skills that are helpful or not so helpful when supporting someone with an eating disorder. Visit The New Maudsley Approach for more details. 

Members

Ulrike Schmidt

Ulrike Schmidt

Professor of Eating Disorders

Kate Tchanturia

Kate Tchanturia

Professor of Psychology in Eating Disorders

Janet Treasure

Janet Treasure

Professor of Adult Psychiatry

anorexia

TRIANGLE

The rate of admission and readmission for inpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa has been rapidly increasing over the last ten years, leading to severe disruption during a critical stage in the lives of these young adults. Through pilot studies, we have found that involving carers and patients in treatment that prepares for transition from hospital to home can be of benefit. TRIANGLE is a multi-centre randomised controlled trial which recruits patients and their families admitted for inpatient care and follows their progress for 18 months after admission. Using an online platform which hosts moderated chat sessions, training material, workbooks, and video clips, TRIANGLE aims to examine whether the transition from hospital treatment to home can be improved.

eating-disorder

FREED

The First Episode and Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders (FREED) project is an innovative early intervention service for young people who have developed an eating disorder within the last three years. The service, which is embedded in larger NHS specialist eating disorder services, involves a rapid screening and assessment protocol, evidence-based interventions for patients and carers, and an implementation toolkit for staff. The intervention aims to reduce the duration of untreated eating disorder and improve outcomes for patients and carers. In 2014/15 the Section for Eating Disorders at King’s College London (KCL) and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) received funding from the Health Foundation to pilot the FREED service model, and the results were promising. FREED patients waited almost 40% less time for assessment and treatment, and overall clinical improvement was rapid and sustained. Since this pilot study Professor Schmidt and her team have re-engaged the support of the Health Foundation to upscale the FREED initiative. FREED-Upscaled (FREED-Up) aims to demonstrate the scalability of the FREED approach by implementing it across four specialist eating disorder services in Greater London and Yorkshire. The main objectives are to reduce waiting times for treatment and the duration of untreated eating disorders, improve treatment engagement and clinical outcomes, and demonstrate and cost effectiveness. The FREED project has been presented at a number of conferences nationally and internationally and had significant impact. Notably, the FREED team were honoured to receive the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Award for Mental Health Team of the Year 2017.

The First Episode and Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders (FREED) project

Adolescent brain structure could inform early interventions for eating disorders

FLARe in AN: Fear Learning in Anorexia Nervosa

There is a growing interest in examining the basic mechanisms that are trans-diagnostic across psychiatric disorders. Research has found that anxiety disorders are associated with exaggerated fear and threat appraisals. The hypothesis that anomalies in fear conditioning may be a trans-diagnostic feature across all anxiety disorders was first proposed in 2004 by M. Strober. It is possible that anomalies in fear conditioning could apply to the eating disorders population. However, very little work has examined this hypothetical framework. FLARe in AN aims to examine the process of fear conditioning (fear acquisition/ generalisation/ extinction/ renewal) in individuals with anorexia nervosa, and those now recovered from the disorder.

Brown, A. L., McClelland, J. K., Boysen, E., Mountford, V. A., Glennon, D., & Schmidt, U. H. (2016). The FREED Project (First episode and Rapid Early intervention in Eating Disorders): Service model, feasibility and acceptability. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. DOI: 10.1111/eip.12382 

McClelland, J. K., Hodsoll, J., Brown, A. L., Lang, K., Boysen, E., Flynn, M., Mountford, V. A., Glennon, D., & Schmidt, U. H. A pilot evaluation of a novel First Episode and Rapid Early Intervention Service for Eating Disorders (FREED). DOI: 10.1002/erv.2579 

Fukutomi, A.*, Austin., A.*, McClelland, J., Brown, A., Glennon, D., Mountford, V., Grant, N., Allen, K., & Schmidt, U. First episode rapid early intervention for eating disorders: A two‐year follow‐up. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. DOI: 10.1111/eip.12881

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