Sweets for my sweet: modulation of the limbic system drives salience for sweet foods after deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease

BackgroundAn increase in body weight is observed in the majority of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) although the mechanisms are unclear.ObjectivesTo identify the stimulation-dependent effects on reward-associated and attention-associated neural networks and to determine whether these alterations in functional connectivity are associated with the local impact of DBS on different STN parcellations.MethodsWe acquired functional task-related MRI data from 21 patients with PD during active and inactive STN DBS and 19 controls while performing a food viewing paradigm. Electrode placement in the STN was localised using a state-of-the-art approach. Based on the 3D model, the local impact of STN DBS was estimated.ResultsSTN DBS resulted in a mean improvement of motor function of 22.6%±15.5% (on medication) and an increase of body weight of ~4 kg within 2 years of stimulation. DBS of the limbic proportion of the STN was associated with body weight gain and an increased functional connectivity within the salience network and at the same time with a decreased activity within the reward-related network in the context of sweet food images.ConclusionsOur findings indicate increased selective attention for high-caloric foods and a sweet food seeking-like behaviour after DBS particularly when the limbic proportion of the STN was stimulated.

Association of bitter and sweet taste gene receptor polymorphisms with dental caries formation

Objectives The aim of the study is to analyze the association of different bitter and sweet gene receptor polymorphisms and bitter and sweet food consumption on formation of dental caries in Turkish adult population. Methods This study included 205 adults whose detailed intraoral health examination was completed and decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) index values were recorded. A mini questionnaire was applied to assess the consumption of bitter and sweet food. A venous blood sample from each participant was collected in Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) tubes. Further, DNA samples were isolated from the blood samples by utilizing a DNA isolation kit, which were stored at +4 °C prior to the analysis. Taste receptor type 2 member 38 (TAS2R38; rs10246939, rs713598, rs1726866), Taste receptor type 1 member 2 (TAS1R2; rs35874116, rs9701796), and Taste receptor type 1 member 3 (TAS1R3; rs307355) gene polymorphisms were detected using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results There was no statistically significant association between the TAS2R38, TAS1R2, and TAS1R3 gene polymorphism and the DMFT index (p>0.05). No significant difference was found between the consumption of bitter and sweet food and the DMFT index (p>0.05). Conclusions TAS2R38 (rs10246939, rs713598, rs1726866), TAS1R2 (rs35874116, rs9701796), and TAS1R3 (rs307355) gene polymorphism may not be associated with the formation of dental caries in the Turkish adult population.

Sugars and Sweet Taste: Addictive or Rewarding?

The notion of food “addiction” often focuses on the overconsumption of sweet tasting foods or so-called sugar “addiction”. In the extreme, some have suggested that sugar and sweet tastes elicit neural and behavioral responses analogous to those observed with drugs of abuse. These concepts are complicated by the decades long uncertainty surrounding the validity and reproducibility of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) methodologies used to characterize neurobiological pathways related to sugar and sweet taste stimuli. There are also questions of whether sweet taste or post-ingestion metabolic consequences of sugar intake would lead to addiction or excessive caloric intake. Here, we present a focused narrative review of literature related to the reward value of sweet taste which suggests that reward value can be confounded with the construct of “addictive potential”. Our review seeks to clarify some key distinctions between these constructs and questions the applicability of the addiction construct to human over-eating behaviors. To adequately frame this broad discussion requires the flexibility offered by the narrative review paradigm. We present selected literature on: techniques used to link sugar and sweet tastes to addiction neurobiology and behaviors; sugar and sweet taste “addiction”; the relationship of low calorie sweetener (LCS) intake to addictive behaviors and total calorie intake. Finally, we examined the reward value of sweet tastes and contrasted that with the literature describing addiction. The lack of reproducibility of fMRI data remains problematic for attributing a common neurobiological pathway activation of drugs and foods as conclusive evidence for sugar or sweet taste “addiction”. Moreover, the complicated hedonics of sweet taste and reward value are suggested by validated population-level data which demonstrate that the consumption of sweet taste in the absence of calories does not increase total caloric intake. We believe the neurobiologies of reward value and addiction to be distinct and disagree with application of the addiction model to sweet food overconsumption. Most hypotheses of sugar “addiction” attribute the hedonics of sweet foods as the equivalent of “addiction”. Further, when addictive behaviors and biology are critically examined in totality, they contrast dramatically from those associated with the desire for sweet taste. Finally, the evidence is strong that responses to the palatability of sweets rather than their metabolic consequences are the salient features for reward value. Thus, given the complexity of the controls of food intake in humans, we question the usefulness of the “addiction” model in dissecting the causes and effects of sweet food over-consumption.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Bakery Industry: A Case Study of Ganesh Bakery

Shree Ganesh Bakery Nandani Private Limited was founded in Nandani city, Kolhapur, Maharastra (India) in 1991. The company was founded and spearheaded by Annasaheb Balasaheb Chakote and was in the business of manufacturing and retail of bakery food products. It was manufacturing 180 products majorly in the category of baked items, health-conscious food, sweet food, and namkeen (salted) food. It has a strong geographic presence across Maharashtra and other neighbouring Indian states, namely Goa, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh through dealers and distributors. The company aimed to expand the business through regular development of new products, expansion of its distribution networks in the remaining areas of Maharashtra and its neighbouring states. However, it had difficulties in the supply of the new products to meet the consumer demand in targeted areas. In February 2017, Chakote aimed to devise a strategy to fulfil the planned expansion of the business.

Healthy foods for human consumption produced with amaranth, chia and quinoa seeds and precooked soybean

The purpose of this report is to improve and make higher benefits on human diet through the consumption of seeds having high nutritional values. Different combinations of amaranth, chia and quinoa seeds and precooked soybean were used to elaborate a new sweet food. Mixed seeds (flour) and soybean whit peanut, sugar or stevia, glucose, hydrogenated oil and natural essence were prepared and tasted by people of both sex and age range from 1 to 78 years old. Previously nutritional composition was analyzed in the different samples. Sweet foods samples were given to persons to evaluate the acceptance and preference of them compared with two market candies of similar composition. The association analysis was performed using t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni´s multiple comparisons for quantitative variables and chi square test for qualitative variables. From all the samples having a standard protein content (more than 10% each), have a higher acceptance those composed by amaranth, chia and quinoa, including more acceptance by women. The same result was obtained respect the preference. The production for human consumption of this new sweet food would imply a better use of vegetable proteins as a complement of the diet animal proteins and improve the health preventive advantages.