Conference Program
Keynotes
The Future of Enhanced Psychotherapy – Towards Precision Psychotherapy in Eating Disorders (Jim Mitchell Lecture)
Prof. Dr. med. Stephan Zipfel, Tübingen, Germany, Professor of Psychosomatic Medicine
Psychotherapy for eating disorders is at a critical juncture. Although evidence-based treatments such as CBT-E, FBT, and FPT demonstrate overall efficacy, substantial heterogeneity in treatment response highlights the need for more precise, mechanism-oriented approaches. Data from the ANTOP trial indicate that individuals with pronounced depressiveness and psychiatric comorbidity benefit particularly from FPT, challenging uniform treatment recommendations and underscoring the value of differential indication.
The concept of Enhanced Psychotherapy proposes a structured framework for precision care based on: (1) systematic assessment of patient characteristics and therapeutic processes, (2) identification of predictors and moderators of outcome, and (3) adaptive treatment strategies informed by individual trajectories. Integrating emerging methods—virtual reality–based exposure and body image interventions, neuromodulation targeting disorder-relevant circuits, digital phenotyping, ecological momentary assessment, and patient and public involvement (PPI)—may further refine personalization.
Translational efforts, such as the Academy of the German Centre for Mental Health (DZPG) illustrate how these innovations can be disseminated beyond specialized research settings. Key methodological considerations include incorporating intensive longitudinal data and applying machine learning to predict treatment response. This lecture outlines a forward-looking model in which data-driven decision-making and technological and participatory enhancements converge to advance precision psychotherapy in eating disorders
Biomarkers for Anorexia nervosa
Dr. med. Hubertus Himmerich, London, UK; Reader in Eating Disorders
Highlighting innovative sections of the consensus paper, the keynote lecture will specifically cover genetic risk factors for the development of AN (e.g., GWAS results, genetic correlations, polygenic risk scores), genes identified as being differentially methylated in AN in EWAS studies (e.g., NR1H3, TNXB, SYNJ2, PRDM16, HDAC4), brain imaging results that have been interpreted as biological factors perpetuating AN (e.g., reduced grey matter and functional connectivity), endocrine changes leading to adverse physical and behavioural consequences (e.g., leptin) and physical health risk and refeeding markers. Hubertus Himmerich will also explain the relevance of these research findings for currently tested novel pharmacological treatments (e.g., metreleptin, psilocybin, ketamine) and for future psychological and pharmacological treatments
Interpersonal Synchrony in the Transmission of Psychopathology: Mechanisms, Risks, and Clinical Opportunities
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Kerstin Konrad, Aachen and Jülich, Germany, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology
From the play of a baby and parent to coordinated dancing, singing in a choir, or the la-ola wave in stadiums, our social behaviors are tightly synchronized with those of other people. This talk will introduce the concept and theories of interpersonal synchrony, examining how our actions, emotions, physiology, and neural states align with those of others in everyday interactions. We will review the current evidence for a causal role of interpersonal neural synchrony, discuss candidate neurobiological mechanisms—including shared neural circuits, neurotransmitter systems, mirror processes, and oscillatory coupling—and highlight methodological challenges in capturing the dynamic, bidirectional nature of social interaction.
In clinical contexts, interpersonal synchrony may be particularly important in the intergenerational transmission of psychopathology. We will explore how early alignment and misalignment in affective, physiological, and attentional processes shape stress reactivity, emotion regulation, and vulnerability across development. Synchrony also plays a role in peer influence, including emotional contagion, reinforcement of maladaptive behaviors, and the spread of risk processes within adolescent social networks. This perspective suggests that healthy development requires not only the capacity to connect and “be in sync,” but also the ability to move out of synchrony to maintain autonomy and flexible self-regulation.
We will further discuss how synchrony-based mechanisms may contribute to the transmission of body-related concerns, meal-time behaviors, or restrictive norms within families and peer groups. Finally, the role of interpersonal synchrony in therapist–patient relationships will be considered, including innovative synchrony-informed therapeutic approaches.
By understanding and modulating interpersonal synchrony, we can move toward novel pathways for strengthening social connectedness, enhancing emotion regulation, and improving clinical outcomes.”