Manipulating body size distortions and negative body-related memories in patients with Anorexia Nervosa: A virtual reality based pilot study

The Allocentric Lock theory (ALT) suggests that anorexia (AN) may be the outcome of a primary disturbance in the way the body is "experienced" and "remembered". A long tradition of research had proved that emotions can influence the encoding, storing and retrieving of memories. The aim of the present study was to explore the effectiveness of a new virtual reality (VR) paradigm combining the autobiographical recall and the body-swapping techniques in order to unlock the allocentric memory of the body in patients with AN. Seven young women diagnosed with AN following DSM-5 criterion, participated in this study. Before and after the experimental sessions, patients underwent pre-post assessment battery in which cognitive, affective and perceptive variables related with their clinical condition were assessed. The VR-based protocol consisted in four sessions in which patients were immersed in an avatar from an egocentric and an allocentric perspective. The body mass index (BMI) of the avatar was increased throughout the VR sessions: starting from patient's BMI until reaching the normal weight. During each session patients were asked to indicate their real and ideal BMI and to recall negative and positive life events. Patients showed lower negative emotions and body shame at fourth session compared to baseline. Furthermore, patients showed an increase in body satisfaction and an improvement in the accuracy of body perception and body shape. This new VR paradigm might be an effective tool for both assessment and treatment of body perception in AN.