Brain Responses to Intragastric Administration of a Bitter Agonist in Homeostatic and Hedonic Brain Regions

Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven15 enrolled

Overview

The investigators aim to study the brain mechanisms underlying the effect of subliminal (not consciously perceived) intragastric administration of bitter tastants on hunger and food intake, which was previously found. The investigators will assess brain activation patterns after an acute intragastric administration of Quinine-hydrochloride versus saline on two different test days, and will simultaneously assess a putative role of altered gut peptide release in these effects. The hypothesis is that intragastric infusion of a bitter agonist will decrease the activity in homeostatic and hedonic brain regions and that this effect is mediated by gut peptide release.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Healthy

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 60 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy volunteers * Female * N = 15 * Age 18 - 60 * Body Mass Index (BMI) of 20 - 25 kg/m * Stable body weight for at least 3 months prior to the start of the study Exclusion Criteria: * Abdominal or thoracic surgery. Exception: appendectomy * Gastrointestinal, endocrine or neurological diseases * Cardiovascular, respiratory, renal or urinary diseases * Hypertension * Food or drug allergies * Anemia * Eating disorders and people who show abnormal eating behavior * Depressive disorders * Psychotic disorders * No medication on a regular basis, expect for oral contraception * Conditions that can interfere with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), e.g. cochlear implants, metal fragments or metal implants in the body, pacemaker, neural stimulator, … * No history of cannabis use or any other drug of abuse for at least 12 months prior to the study * Alcohol abuse (more than 21 units of alcohol for men, more than 14 units for woman per week) * Dieters * Pregnant or breastfeeding women * Claustrophobia

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Functional brain images

Change in brain responses after administration compared to baseline will be assessed via functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Time frame: From the start of the study until 50 minutes after the start of the study

Secondary Outcomes

hunger scores

The hunger scores will be taken every 10 minutes since the scan starts via a 10 cm visual analogue scale.

Time frame: every 10 minutes since the scan starts until until 50 minutes after the start of the scan

Ghrelin levels

Peripheral blood samples will be taken every 10 min since the scan starts until the endpoint of the study to measure ghrelin levels by radioimmuno-assay.

Time frame: every 10 min since the scan starts until 50 minutes after the start of the scan.

Motilin levels

Peripheral blood samples will be taken every 10 min since the scan starts until the endpoint of the study to measure motilin levels by radioimmuno-assay.

Time frame: every 10 min since the scan starts until 50 minutes after the start of the scan

CCK levels

Peripheral blood samples will be taken every 10 min since the scan starts until the endpoint of the study to measure CCK levels by radioimmuno-assay.

Time frame: every 10 min since the scan starts until 50 minutes after the start of the scan

PYY levels

Peripheral blood samples will be taken every 10 min since the scan starts until the endpoint of the study to measure PYY levels by Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay

Time frame: every 10 min since the scan starts until 50 minutes after the start of the scan

GLP-1 levels

Peripheral blood samples will be taken every 10 min since the scan starts until the endpoint of the study to measure GLP-1 levels by Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay

Time frame: every 10 min since the scan starts until 50 minutes after the start of the scan