The research study is being conducted in health controls to better understand the effects of ketosis on brain functioning after 3 different, randomly assigned, 3-day dietary interventions and the acute effects of alcohol after consuming about 4-5 alcohol beverages. The labs visits will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to study the brain, measuring levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), lactate, neurotransmitters glutamate, and Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
The research study is being conducted to better understand the effects of ketosis on brain functioning and the acute effects of alcohol. Healthy participants will undergo three randomly assigned dietary interventions, each lasting three days, followed by a study lab visit day on day 4. The three interventions are: (1) Eat a ketogenic diet for 3 days, (2) eat a control diet for 3 days with a ketone supplement drink, and (3) eat a control diet for 3 days. The dietary interventions will be spaced 1 week apart. The ketone supplement drink "bis-octanoyl (R)-1,3-butanediol" (Kenetik: Ketone Drink, VitaNav Inc., Washington D.C.) 12.5g of ketones, TID PO (by mouth).) is a dietary supplement that has been extensively studied in humans and is designated by the FDA as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). Its use in this study is experimental. On the day of the 3 labs visits days, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be used to study the brain. Specifically, levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) (a coenzyme that is important for energy metabolism), lactate (a metabolite produced during energy metabolism), and neurotransmitters glutamate and GABA. Following the scans, participants will be provided a dose of alcohol that will elevate participants breath alcohol levels to approximately 0.08% to measure the acute effects of alcohol.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
Ketone supplement 3x day with control diet for 3 days.
Control Diet breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 3 days.
Ketogenic Diet breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 3 days.
After 3 days of diet intervention, participants will receive alcohol drinks that dose-adjusts for body weight and sex differences in pharmacokinetics and calculated to obtain a final breath alcohol concentration of 0.08%
University of Pennsylvania Center for Studies of Addiction
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
RECRUITINGChange in breath alcohol concentration
Breath alcohol concentration measured in mg/L of air. The range is .000 to .400 g/L. Change in breath alcohol concentration, pre to post alcohol consumption after 3 day diet intervention during lab day.
Time frame: 3 hours
Change in motor agility tasks
Motor agility will be assessed with the grooved pegboard task, in which participants will place pegs onto a metal surface containing 25 keyhole-shaped holes that differ in orientation. Measured in seconds, range 0 to 5 minutes. Change in motor agility tasks pre to post alcohol consumption after 3 day diet intervention.
Time frame: 3 hours
Change in cognitive performance tasks
Cognitive performance will be measured with a cued go/no-go task, in which participants will press a computer keyboard key in response to a "go" target and suppress the action in response to a "no-go" target. Measured in % correct responses 0-100. Pre to post alcohol consumption after 3 day diet intervention.
Time frame: 3 hours
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