Overweight, Obesity
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to test how the brain responds when individuals eat enjoyable foods such as chocolate. Eating certain foods can make one want to keep eating even when feeling full, caused by dopamine in the brain. The researchers believe this dopamine response can be measured by looking at the individual's eye.
Detailed description
With obesity at an all-time high, understanding eating behavior beyond physical need is a priority. Food reinforcement is driven by central dopamine activity. However, objective measurement of brain dopamine-related behavioral events is hindered by the lack of non-invasive, accessible techniques that are amenable to testing in a naturalistic environment. The goal of this project is to develop a non-invasive, accessible methodology to measure dopaminergic responses to food in a natural setting. This research will use a novel, hand-held electroretinograph (ERG) that does not require eye dilation and uses a skin electrode to measure retinal dopamine activity. Previous work establishes that retinal dopamine activity can be used as a proxy for central dopamine function. The ability to assess both subjective behavioral variables and central dopaminergic responses simultaneously will provide an ideal approach for innovative studies of the control of eating behavior.
Interventions
OTHERChocolate
Participants will be asked to taste commercially available chocolate varying in sugar, fat and percent cocoa (milk, 70%, 85% and 90% cocoa).
Sponsors
Drexel University
USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
OTHER
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 50 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* body mass index 20-30 kg/m2 * free of any major illness or disease
Exclusion criteria
* food allergies * participation in a weight loss diet or exercise program * pregnancy * lactation * metabolic illness or disease (diabetes, renal failure, thyroid illness, hypertension) * eye illness or disease (narrow angle glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinal detachment, cataracts) * psychiatric, neurological or eating disorders (schizophrenia, depression, Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, epilepsy, anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa) * take prescription medications except for oral contraceptives or antihyperlipidemia agents
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Retinal dopamine response to oral stimuli | 30 minutes | Electroretinograph beta wave amplitude will increase in response to increases in the amount of sugar in the chocolate |
| Psychoactive Effects Questionnaire in response to oral stimuli | 30 minutes | The number of positive responses on the Psychoactive Effects Questionnaire will increase in response to increases in the sugar content of the chocolate |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scores on the Binge Eating Scale will correlate with the retinal dopamine and Psychoactive Effect Questionnaire responses | 30 minutes | Individual changes in the retinal dopamine response and the number of positive responses on the Psychoactive Effects Questionnaire will correlate with individual scores on the Binge Eating Scale |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed