This pilot study experimentally manipulates ovarian hormones to examine the direct impact of
estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4) on binge eating symptom burden and the behavioral reward
response in women with bulimia nervosa (n=15). This is completed by taking medications that
change ovarian hormone levels. This line of research could lead to the development of
pharmacological interventions developed to target specific areas of the brain, brain
receptors, or pathways identified to be involved in the mechanism underlying ovarian hormone
change and binge eating.