CEREBROSPINAL FLUID BIOMARKERS AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH ANOREXIA NERVOSA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL

Background: Biomarkers quantified in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) provide first-hand information on ongoing pathophysiology and biochemical activity within the brain of individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN). Evidence supporting involvement of blood-based markers of inflammation and immune processes in anorexia nervosa has accumulated over the past decade, although whether central inflammation is present in AN is unknown. CSF-based biomarkers studies offer an opportunity to explore central inflammation in AN. A comprehensive review of studies that quantify CSF in anorexia nervosa is lacking. Methods: This systematic review will investigate differences in CSF biomarkers between patients with AN and healthy controls (HC) in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Additionally, we will create an online database of studies that have investigated CSF biomarkers in AN. Data will be reviewed independently by two members of our team using MEDLINE databases, Web of Science, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov. We will include all studies that report on CSF biomarkers obtained by lumbar puncture in individuals with AN and HCs between 1973-2023. Discussion: This comprehensive systematic review will explore the role of CSF biomarkers in individuals with AN compared to control subjects. Findings will help researchers and clinicians by supporting a resurgence of research given its importance to understanding neuroinflammation in AN.