Food Reward Processing in the Human Brain

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of different metabolic states and hormonal satiety signalling on responses in neural reward networks.

Detailed Description
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Given the rapid development of obesity world-wide, a better understanding of the interaction between the encoding of food reward in mesocorticolimbic reward pathways and homeostatic energy regulation is of paramount importance for the development of new treatment strategies. Healthy participants will undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a task distinguishing between the anticipation and the receipt of either food or monetary reward. Every participant will be scanned twice in a counterbalanced fashion, both during a state of hunger (after 24-hours fasting) and satiety. Blood samples will be collected to assess hormonal satiety signalling. We hope to provide new insights into the neurobiological underpinnings of motivational processing and hedonic evaluation of food reward.

Official Title
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Integration of Homeostatic Signaling and Food Reward Processing in the Human Brain

Conditions
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Healthy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Satiety State


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: BMI <25 kg/m² and >18.5 kg/m² no lifetime or current medical illness that could potentially affect appetite or body weight right-handedness normal or corrected-to-normal vision Exclusion Criteria: history of head injury or surgery history of neurological disorder severe psychiatric disorder (psychosis, bipolar disorder, substance abuse) smoking borderline personality disorder current psychotropic medication inability to undergo fMRI scanning (e.g. metallic implants, claustrophobia, Pacemakers) pregnancy

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 45 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Healthy Controls<br>Normal weight, healthy female participants | Behavioral: Satiety State<br>* Participants were scanned twice: once after a meal and once after fasting for 24 hours<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Experimental fMRI task (incentive delay task) | Participants were expecting food and monetary related reward, after a correct response to a simple task they received either food or monetary related reward. | 22 min. | 
| Resting state brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging | Functional brain imaging will be employed to assess functional connectivity in reward related brain networks. | 5 min. | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Analysis of hormonal satiety signaling | Blood is collected for the measurement of peripheral ghrelin. One blood sample at the start of the experiment will be collected. | 30 min. before scanning | 
| Self-report questionnaire regarding eating behavior (Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire) | Psychometric tests will be employed to assess eating behavior and eating disorder psychopathology (using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire). | 30 min. | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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fmri, neuronal reward processing, hormonal satiety signalling, fasting