Responses to Appetite and Taste in the Brain Circuits That Control Eating Behaviour (TASTER)

January 15, 2021 updated by: University College, London

Responses to Appetite and Taste in the Brain Circuits That Control Eating Behaviour: An fMRI Study Evaluating Brain Structure, Connectivity and Responses to Taste Across Different Body Weight Categories and in Response to Weight Loss

The aim of this study is to gain insight into brain structure and the neural networks that control taste and eating behaviour in patients with severe obesity undergoing a primary sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or a lifestyle intervention for weight loss compared with normal weight individuals, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Suspended

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Detailed Description

This is an observational study aiming to gain insight into brain structure and the neural networks that control taste and eating behaviour in patients with severe obesity undergoing a primary sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or a lifestyle intervention for weight loss compared with normal weight individuals using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Drops of liquid foods and a control solution will be delivered to the participants' mouth during fMRI scanning. Body weight, gut hormones from serial blood samples, appetite scores and taste will be assessed at each study visit.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Anticipated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
75

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United Kingdom
      • London, United Kingdom, NW1 2BU
        • University College London Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 50 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Participant groups:

  1. Participants with severe obesity

    1. SG: 25 participants, male and female, aged 18-50 years, body mass index (BMI) 35-50 kg/m2, due to undergo primary SG.
    2. Lifestyle intervention: 25 participants, male and female, aged 18-50 years, BMI 35-50 kg/m2.
  2. Participants with normal weight: 25 participants, aged 18-50 years BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2, age and gender matched to group with severe obesity.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female and male adults aged 18-50 years.
  • Right-handed.
  • No MRI contra-indications.
  • Weight stable at time of recruitment, defined as less than 5% variation in body weight over the preceding 3 months.
  • Proficient in written and spoken English.
  • Able to comply with study protocol.
  • Willing and able to provide written informed consent.
  • Participants must be registered with a general practitioner (GP).
  • Willing for their treating consultant or their GP and the study team to be informed in the event of an incidental abnormal finding being detected by the investigations or assessments that form part of this study.
  • Able to lie flat for 1 hour.

Group-specific inclusion criteria:

  • SG group:

    • BMI of 35-50 kg/m2
    • Planned to undergo primary SG surgery and fulfilling eligibility criteria for bariatric surgery.

  • Lifestyle intervention group:

    • BMI of 35-50 kg/m2
    • Willing to undergo a lifestyle intervention programme with a view to achieving approximately 10% weight loss.

  • Normal weight group:

    • BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Body weight greater than 130kg (due to weight limit of MRI Scanner).
  • Contraindications specific to MRI scanning: metallic implants (cardiac pacemakers, aneurysm clips, permanent eye lining, cochlear implants or anyone who has been exposed to metallic flakes or splinters).
  • Type 1 and type 2 diabetes (in view of altered circulated gut hormone profiles and gustatory function).
  • Menopause (in view of findings that the menopause affects gustatory function).
  • Smoking (in view of the fact that smoking affects salivary gut hormones and gustatory function).
  • Vitamin B12 or zinc deficiency (in view of deficiencies affecting gustatory function).
  • Untreated severe depression.
  • Eating disorders including bulimia and self-induced vomiting.
  • Neurological or psychiatric conditions.
  • Acute illness or chronic conditions that may impact upon gustatory and olfactory function.
  • Acute illness or chronic conditions that may impact upon post-operative weight loss.
  • Known or suspected history of HIV, Hepatitis B or C or other blood-borne diseases (in view of safety regulations regarding exposure to blood products)
  • Pregnancy or lactation.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Sleeve Gastrectomy (SG)
25 participants, male and female, aged 18-50 years, body mass index (BMI) 35-50 kg/m2, due to undergo primary SG
Lifestyle Intervention
25 participants, male and female, aged 18-50 years, BMI 35-50 kg/m2
Normal Weight
25 participants, aged 18-50 years BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2, age and gender matched to group with severe obesity

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
BOLD signal change after SG
Time Frame: approximately 6 weeks
To determine the effect of SG, at 10% weight loss, upon whole-brain neural response to taste, in the fed and fasted state, detected through blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal, in patients with severe obesity.
approximately 6 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
BOLD signal change after lifestyle intervention
Time Frame: average of 12 weeks
The effect of 10% weight loss in patients with severe obesity induced by a lifestyle intervention on BOLD signal to taste in the fed and fasted state and compared to SG.
average of 12 weeks
BOLD signal in response to taste in severe obesity compared to normal weight
Time Frame: baseline
Brain responses, as BOLD signal, to taste in the fed and fasted state in severe obesity compared to normal weight
baseline
BOLD signal change post-SG
Time Frame: 6 months
Whole brain neural response in BOLD signal to taste, in the fed and fasted state, 6 months following SG versus normal weight
6 months
Correlation of taste responses and gut hormones
Time Frame: baseline
The relationship between the neural correlates of taste and levels of circulating gut hormones in severe obesity compared to normal weight
baseline
Correlation of taste responses and gut hormones
Time Frame: approximately 6 weeks for SG group and approximately 12 weeks for lifestyle intervention group
The relationship between the neural correlates of taste and levels of circulating gut hormones after 10% weight loss by SG compared to lifestyle intervention
approximately 6 weeks for SG group and approximately 12 weeks for lifestyle intervention group
Correlation of taste responses and gut hormones
Time Frame: 6 months post-SG compared to baseline
The relationship between the neural correlates of taste and circulating gut hormone levels
6 months post-SG compared to baseline
Correlation of taste responses and gut hormones
Time Frame: 6 months
The relationship between the neural correlates of taste and levels of circulating gut hormones post-SG compared to normal weight
6 months
Brain structure
Time Frame: Baseline
Comparison of brain structure in severe obesity and normal weight
Baseline
Brain structure 6 months following SG
Time Frame: 6 months
Comparison of brain structure 6 months following SG to baseline
6 months
Brain structure after 10% weight loss
Time Frame: approximately 6 weeks for SG group and approximately 12 weeks for lifestyle intervention group
Comparison of brain structure following 10% weight loss induced by SG versus lifestyle intervention
approximately 6 weeks for SG group and approximately 12 weeks for lifestyle intervention group

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University College, London

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Rachel L Batterham, PhD FRCP, UCL

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 18, 2018

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2021

Study Completion (Anticipated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 11, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 23, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 6, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 20, 2021

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 15, 2021

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 18/0233

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

Undecided

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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