scholarly journals The effects of the form of sugar (solid vs. beverage) on body weight and fMRI activation: A randomized controlled pilot study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. e0251700
Author(s):  
John W. Apolzan ◽  
Owen T. Carmichael ◽  
Krystal M. Kirby ◽  
Sreekrishna R. Ramakrishnapillai ◽  
Robbie A. Beyl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Pilot Trial ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Reward Processing ◽  
Daily Consumption ◽  
Fed State ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Brain

Objective To test if sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) and sugar sweetened solids (SSSs) have differential effects on body weight and reward processing in the brain. Methods In a single blind randomized controlled pilot trial (RCT), twenty participants with BMI between 20 and 40 kg/m2 were randomized to consume a 20 fluid ounce soda (SSB, 248 kcal) or the equivalent in solid form (SSS; similar to thick gelatin or gummy candy) daily. At baseline and day 28, fasting body weight and fed-state BOLD fMRI of the brain were assessed. Differences in fMRI signals between views of low-fat (LF (<30%)) high sugar (HS (>30%)) food, and non-food images were calculated in brain regions implicated in energy homeostasis, taste, and reward. Results All participants in the SSB (6F 4M; 8 Caucasian; 36±14 y, 28.2±5.5 kg/m2; Mean±SD) and SSS (3F 7M; 6 Caucasian; 39±12; 26.3±4.4) groups completed the study. Weight change was 0.27±0.78 kg between SSB and SSS participants. Changes in the fMRI response to LF/HS foods in reward, homeostatic and taste regions tended to not be different between the groups over the four weeks. However, activation of the right substantia nigra increased following the SSB but decreased activation following the SSS in response to LF/HS foods over 28 days (-0.32±0.12). Ratings of wanting for LF/HS foods were correlated with activation in several brain regions, including the OFC. Conclusions Change in weight was modest between the groups in this study. Daily consumption of a SSB over 28 days led to mixed responses to LF/HS foods in areas of the brain associated with reward. Ratings of wanting are correlated with fMRI activation inside an MRI scanner.

scholarly journals The Effects of the Form of Sugar (Solid vs. Beverage) on Body Weight and Neuronal Activity: A 28 Day Randomized Pilot Study (P08-001-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Apolzan ◽  
Owen Carmichael ◽  
S Nicole Fearnbach ◽  
Krystal Kirby ◽  
Sreekrishna Ramakrishnapillai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Reward Processing ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Fed State ◽  
Funding Sources

Abstract Objectives To test if sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) and sugar sweetened solids (SSSs) have differential effects on body weight and food reward processing. Methods In a single blind RCT, twenty participants with a BMI between 20–40 kg/m2 were randomized to consume a 20 fl oz soda/d (SSB, 248 kcal) vs. the equivalent energy and nutrients in solid form (SSS; similar to a thick jello and/or gummy candy). At baseline and day 28, fasting body weight and fed state brain activation responses to low fat high sugar foods (LF < 30%, HS > 30%) and non-food objects were assessed. The fMRI scan began 30 min after initiation of consumption of the 248 kcal dose of their randomized treatment. Summary measures of differences in fMRI BOLD signals between LFHS vs non-food images were calculated in a set of a priori defined brain regions implicated in energy homeostasis, taste, reward, and motivation to eat. Results Ten participants in the SSB (6F 4 M; 80% White; 39 ±4 y, Mean ± SEM) and ten in the SSS (3F 7 M; 60% White; 36 ± 5) completed the study. Baseline BMI was 28.2 ± 1.7 kg/m2 and 26.3 ± 1.4 in the SSB and SSS groups, respectively. No difference in change in body weight for SSB vs. SSS (0.56 ± 0.43 kg; P  =  0.22) was seen. Changes in fMRI activation in homeostatic and taste regions were not different. Among reward and motivation related regions, fMRI activation within the caudate nucleus, cingulate gyrus, and medial orbitofrontal cortex were not different at baseline, but increased in SSS and decreased in SSB group (mean group differences in activation change: –0.30 ± 0.15, –0.36 ± 0.11, and –0.60 ± 0.25, P ˂ 0.05; respectively). fMRI activation in the insula was greater at baseline in SSS compared to SSB but the two groups converged to similar values at day 28 (mean group differences in activation change: 0.19 ± 0.08, P ˂ 0.05). Conclusions Consumption of SSB vs. SSS products produced distinct changes to brain activity within specific brain regions that control eating behavior despite no change in body weight between groups. Understanding the neural and physiological consequences of consuming added sugar in different forms will better inform current efforts to reduce its consumption and help regulate policy. This pilot study provides promising data for a longer duration, well-powered follow-up study. Funding Sources NIH U54GM104940, P30DK072476, Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation.

scholarly journals Acute changes in systemic glycaemia gate access and action of GLP-1R agonist on brain structures controlling energy homeostasis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wineke Bakker ◽  
Casper Gravesen Salinas ◽  
Monica Imbernon ◽  
Daniela Herrera Moro Chao ◽  
Rim Hassouna ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Glucose Homeostasis ◽  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Area Postrema ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Body Weight Loss ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Circumventricular Organs ◽  
The Brain

ABSTRACTThe control of body weight and glucose homeostasis are the bedrock of type 2 diabetes medication. Therapies based on co-administration of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) long-acting analogues and insulin are becoming popular in the treatment of T2D. Both insulin and GLP-1 receptors (InsR and GLP1-R, respectively) are expressed in brain regions critically involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis, suggesting a possible cooperative action. However, the mechanisms underlying the synergistic action of insulin and GLP-1R agonists on body weight loss and glucose homeostasis remain largely under-investigated. In this study, we provide evidence that peripheral insulin administration modulates the action of GLP-1R agonists onto fatty acids oxidation. Taking advantage of fluorescently labeled insulin and GLP-1R agonists, we found that glucoprivic condition, either achieved by insulin or by 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG), acts as a permissive signal on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) at circumventricular organs, including the median eminence (ME) and the area postrema (AP), enhancing the passage and action of GLP-1-R agonists. Mechanistically, this phenomenon relied on the release of tanycyctic vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and it was selectively impaired after calorie-rich diet exposure. Finally, we found that in human subjects, low blood glucose also correlates with enhanced blood-to-brain passage of insulin suggesting that changes in glycaemia also affect passage of peptide hormones into the brain in humans.In conclusion, we describe a yet unappreciated mechanism by which acute variations of glycaemia gate the entry and action of circulating energy-related signals in the brain. This phenomenon has physiological and clinical relevance implying that glycemic control is critical to harnessing the full benefit of GLP-1R agonist co-treatment in body weight loss therapy.

First and Second Language Patterns of Brain Activation in Korean Layrngeal Contrasts

2008 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haeil Park ◽  
Gregory Iverson
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Occipital Lobe ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Second Language Speakers ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Specific Activities ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Brain

Abstract. This study aims to localize the brain regions involved in the apprehension of Korean laryngeal contrasts and to investigate whether the Internal Model advanced by Callan et al. (2004) extends to first versus second language perception of these unique three-way laryngeal distinctions. The results show that there is a significant difference in activation between native and second-language speakers, consistent with the findings of Callan et al. Specific activities unique to younger native speakers of Korean relative to native speakers of English were seen in the cuneus (occipital lobe) and the right middle frontal gyrus (Brodmann Area [BA] 10), areas of the brain associated with pitch perception. The current findings uphold Silva's (2006) conclusion that the laryngeal contrasts of Korean are increasingly distinguished less by VOT differences than by their effect on pitch in the following vowel. A subsequent experiment was conducted to establish whether more traditional, older native speakers of Korean who still make clear VOT distinctions also activate both the cuneus and BA 10 in the same task. Preliminary results indicate that they do not, whereas speakers with overlapping VOT distinctions do show intersecting activations in these areas, thus corroborating Silva's claim of emergent pitch sensitivity in the Korean laryngeal system.

scholarly journals Neural Underpinnings of Obesity: The Role of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in the Brain

Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1018
Author(s):  
Caitlyn A. Mullins ◽  
Ritchel B. Gannaban ◽  
Md Shahjalal Khan ◽  
Harsh Shah ◽  
Md Abu B. Siddik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Dorsal Striatum ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Obesity Prevalence ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
The Brain

Obesity prevalence is increasing at an unprecedented rate throughout the world, and is a strong risk factor for metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurological/neurodegenerative disorders. While low-grade systemic inflammation triggered primarily by adipose tissue dysfunction is closely linked to obesity, inflammation is also observed in the brain or the central nervous system (CNS). Considering that the hypothalamus, a classical homeostatic center, and other higher cortical areas (e.g. prefrontal cortex, dorsal striatum, hippocampus, etc.) also actively participate in regulating energy homeostasis by engaging in inhibitory control, reward calculation, and memory retrieval, understanding the role of CNS oxidative stress and inflammation in obesity and their underlying mechanisms would greatly help develop novel therapeutic interventions to correct obesity and related comorbidities. Here we review accumulating evidence for the association between ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, the main culprits responsible for oxidative stress and inflammation in various brain regions, and energy imbalance that leads to the development of obesity. Potential beneficial effects of natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds on CNS health and obesity are also discussed.

scholarly journals Pancreatic signals controlling food intake; insulin, glucagon and amylin

2006 ◽  
Vol 361 (1471) ◽  
pp. 1219-1235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen C Woods ◽  
Thomas A Lutz ◽  
Nori Geary ◽  
Wolfgang Langhans
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Endocrine Pancreas ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Meal Size ◽  
Vagus Nerves ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The Brain

The control of food intake and body weight by the brain relies upon the detection and integration of signals reflecting energy stores and fluxes, and their interaction with many different inputs related to food palatability and gastrointestinal handling as well as social, emotional, circadian, habitual and other situational factors. This review focuses upon the role of hormones secreted by the endocrine pancreas: hormones, which individually and collectively influence food intake, with an emphasis upon insulin, glucagon and amylin. Insulin and amylin are co-secreted by B-cells and provide a signal that reflects both circulating energy in the form of glucose and stored energy in the form of visceral adipose tissue. Insulin acts directly at the liver to suppress the synthesis and secretion of glucose, and some plasma insulin is transported into the brain and especially the mediobasal hypothalamus where it elicits a net catabolic response, particularly reduced food intake and loss of body weight. Amylin reduces meal size by stimulating neurons in the hindbrain, and there is evidence that amylin additionally functions as an adiposity signal controlling body weight as well as meal size. Glucagon is secreted from A-cells and increases glucose secretion from the liver. Glucagon acts in the liver to reduce meal size, the signal being relayed to the brain via the vagus nerves. To summarize, hormones of the endocrine pancreas are collectively at the crossroads of many aspects of energy homeostasis. Glucagon and amylin act in the short term to reduce meal size, and insulin sensitizes the brain to short-term meal-generated satiety signals; and insulin and perhaps amylin as well act over longer intervals to modulate the amount of fat maintained and defended by the brain. Hormones of the endocrine pancreas interact with receptors at many points along the gut–brain axis, from the liver to the sensory vagus nerve to the hindbrain to the hypothalamus; and their signals are conveyed both neurally and humorally. Finally, their actions include gastrointestinal and metabolic as well as behavioural effects.

scholarly journals Regulation of Appetite and Satiety by Gastrointestinal Peptides

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-21
Author(s):  
Sarah H. Mhaibes ◽  
Najwan K. Fakree ◽  
Sonia I. Naser
Keyword(s):  
Food Consumption ◽  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Peptide Yy ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Gut Peptides ◽  
Major Health Problem ◽  
Vital Functions ◽  
Gastrointestinal Peptides ◽  
Glucagon Like Peptide 1 ◽  
The Brain

In recent decades, global obesity has increased significantly, causing a major health problem with associated complications and major socioeconomic issues. The central nervous system (CNS), particularly the hypothalamus, regulates food intake through sensing the metabolic signals of peripheral organs and modulating feeding behaviors.  The hypothalamus interacts with other brain regions such as the brain stem to perform these vital functions. The gut plays a crucial role in controlling food consumption and energy homeostasis. The gut releases orexigenic and anorexigenic hormones that interact directly with the CNS or indirectly through vagal afferent neurons. Gastrointestinal peptides (GIP) including cholecystokinin, peptide YY, Nesfatin-1, glucagon-like peptide 1, and oxyntomodulin send satiety signals to the brain and ghrelin transmit hunger signals to the brain. The GIP is essential for the control of food consumption; thus, explain the link between the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and the brain is important for managing obesity and its associated diseases. This review aimed to explain the role of gut peptides in satiety and hunger control.

scholarly journals Probing Brain Activation Patterns by Dissociating Semantics and Syntax in Sentences

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (05) ◽  
pp. 9201-9208
Author(s):  
Shaonan Wang ◽  
Jiajun Zhang ◽  
Nan Lin ◽  
Chengqing Zong
Keyword(s):  
Brain Regions ◽  
Feature Representation ◽  
Semantic Feature ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Activation Patterns ◽  
Syntactic Feature ◽  
Syntactic Information ◽  
Brain Imaging Data ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Brain

The relation between semantics and syntax and where they are represented in the neural level has been extensively debated in neurosciences. Existing methods use manually designed stimuli to distinguish semantic and syntactic information in a sentence that may not generalize beyond the experimental setting. This paper proposes an alternative framework to study the brain representation of semantics and syntax. Specifically, we embed the highly-controlled stimuli as objective functions in learning sentence representations and propose a disentangled feature representation model (DFRM) to extract semantic and syntactic information in sentences. This model can generate one semantic and one syntactic vector for each sentence. Then we associate these disentangled feature vectors with brain imaging data to explore brain representation of semantics and syntax. Results have shown that semantic feature is represented more robustly than syntactic feature across the brain including the default-mode, frontoparietal, visual networks, etc.. The brain representations of semantics and syntax are largely overlapped, but there are brain regions only sensitive to one of them. For instance, several frontal and temporal regions are specific to the semantic feature; parts of the right superior frontal and right inferior parietal gyrus are specific to the syntactic feature.

scholarly journals A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study to Assess Effects of a Daily Pistachio (Pistacia Vera) Afternoon Snack on Next-Meal Energy Intake, Satiety, and Anthropometry in French Women

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arianna Carughi ◽  
France Bellisle ◽  
Anestis Dougkas ◽  
Agnès Giboreau ◽  
Mary Feeney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Snack Food ◽  
Appetite Control ◽  
Daily Consumption ◽  
Anthropometric Measures ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Randomized Intervention

Including nuts in the diet improves appetite control and does not lead to weight gain. However, for pistachios, evidence from randomized intervention studies is limited and there are no data on the effect of pistachios on satiety. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of daily consumption of pistachios as an afternoon snack on satiety, self-reported energy, self-reported nutrient intake, body weight, and body composition. This randomized controlled pilot study included two parallel groups of 30 healthy French women, in a free-living setting. For four weeks, groups were instructed to consume either 56 g (1318 kJ) of pistachios or 56 g of isoenergetic/equiprotein savory biscuits as an afternoon snack. Evening energy intake, changes in anthropometric measures, and daily intake of energy and selected nutrients were assessed. Visual analogue scales (VAS) were used to rate hunger, fullness, desire to eat, and prospective consumption. Satiety effects were not different between groups, as assessed by evening energy intake or VAS scores. Consuming pistachios or biscuits had no impact on body weight. Thiamin, vitamin B6, copper, and potassium intakes were significantly higher in the pistachio group. Consuming pistachios or biscuits as an afternoon snack resulted in similar post-snack food intake and subjective feelings of satiety. A daily pistachio snack for a month did not affect body weight or composition but it did improve micronutrient intake.

Semantic and Perceptual Processing of Number Symbols: Evidence from a Cross-linguistic fMRI Adaptation Study

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 388-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian D. Holloway ◽  
Christian Battista ◽  
Stephan E. Vogel ◽  
Daniel Ansari
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Processing ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Perceptual Processing ◽  
Numerical Magnitude ◽  
Striking Difference ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Parietal Lobes ◽  
The Right ◽  
Fmri Adaptation ◽  
The Brain

The ability to process the numerical magnitude of sets of items has been characterized in many animal species. Neuroimaging data have associated this ability to represent nonsymbolic numerical magnitudes (e.g., arrays of dots) with activity in the bilateral parietal lobes. Yet the quantitative abilities of humans are not limited to processing the numerical magnitude of nonsymbolic sets. Humans have used this quantitative sense as the foundation for symbolic systems for the representation of numerical magnitude. Although numerical symbol use is widespread in human cultures, the brain regions involved in processing of numerical symbols are just beginning to be understood. Here, we investigated the brain regions underlying the semantic and perceptual processing of numerical symbols. Specifically, we used an fMRI adaptation paradigm to examine the neural response to Hindu-Arabic numerals and Chinese numerical ideographs in a group of Chinese readers who could read both symbol types and a control group who could read only the numerals. Across groups, the Hindu-Arabic numerals exhibited ratio-dependent modulation in the left IPS. In contrast, numerical ideographs were associated with activation in the right IPS, exclusively in the Chinese readers. Furthermore, processing of the visual similarity of both digits and ideographs was associated with activation of the left fusiform gyrus. Using culture as an independent variable, we provide clear evidence for differences in the brain regions associated with the semantic and perceptual processing of numerical symbols. Additionally, we reveal a striking difference in the laterality of parietal activation between the semantic processing of the two symbols types.

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