Modifiable Predictors of Neural Vulnerabilities for Obesity
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to examine how certain factors in childhood and adolescence relate to neural vulnerabilities for obesity in young adulthood. It is hypothesized that specific individual and environmental factors will significantly predict neural vulnerabilities for obesity.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
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N/A |
Detailed Description
Studies aimed at elucidating neural vulnerability factors for obesity - including high food reward sensitivity and poor food regulation - hold particular promise. However, relatively little is known about the modifiable factors that contribute to these neural vulnerabilities, thus precluding the development of potentially powerful interventions to promote healthy long-term weight trajectories. Further, the limited research in this area lacks critical developmental and environmental context. The current proposal addresses these gaps by examining the roles of selected modifiable cognitive (executive control), behavioral (diet, sleep), affective (negative affect), and environmental (obesogenic environment) factors throughout childhood and adolescence in predicting emerging neural vulnerabilities for obesity during the pivotal transition to young adulthood. The specific aims are to: 1) Determine the impact of executive control development across childhood and adolescence on food reward sensitivity and regulation in young adulthood; 2) Determine the impact of a set of behavioral and affective factors in adolescence (i.e., diet, sleep, negative affect) on food reward sensitivity and regulation in young adulthood; and 3) Explore the impact of the obesogenic environment encountered in adolescence on food reward sensitivity and regulation in young adulthood.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: fMRI Participants are delivered sips of appetizing tastes (milkshake) and tasteless solution throughout the task while in the MRI scanner. |
Other: Milkshake fMRI
While in the MRI scanner, the participant is shown a cue indicating the impending delivery of either milkshake or tasteless solution, followed by a brief blank screen, then delivery of the sip, and then a swallow cue. This procedure is repeated throughout the task.
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Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Reward region activation [5 seconds after taste delivery]
Activation in brain reward regions following taste delivery, as measured by fMRI
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
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Age 19 years or older
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Previous participation in the Preschool Problem Solving Study OR lived in Lancaster County, NE for at least part of high school
Exclusion Criteria:
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Contraindications for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI):
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metal in body
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pregnancy
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braces
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non-removal piercings
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hair extensions
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As of 8/13/21, for individuals who were not in the Preschool Problem Solving Study but are invited to participate in the current study because they lived in Lancaster County for at least part of high school, the maximum age for eligibility is 20 years of age.
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Lincoln | Nebraska | United States | 68588 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- University of Nebraska Lincoln
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
- University of Nebraska
- The University of Texas at San Antonio
- Stanford University
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Timothy D Nelson, Ph.D., University of Nebraska Lincoln
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- 20317
- R01DK125651