Studying the Hedonic and Homeostatic Regulation of Food Intake Using Functional MRI

September 13, 2025 updated by: Andres J. Acosta, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic

Physiological Regulation of Energy Intake - The FOOD-PRINT Study Identifying the Hormonal and Neural Footprints of the Visceroceptive, Homeostatic, and Hedonic Components of Food Intake Regulation in Humans

The purpose of this study is to investigate how gut hormones and brain areas respond differently to gastric distention, tasteless calories, or palatable food and how this alters appetite.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

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.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

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.
15

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Minnesota
      • Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55905
        • Recruiting
        • Mayo Clinic Rochester

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

21 years to 50 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • BMI 18-25 kg/m^2.
  • Weight stable for 3 months prior to study entry.
  • For females: study days will be scheduled during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle (i.e., the first 13 days (about 2 weeks) of the cycle).
  • Able to provide written informed consent prior to any study procedures and be willing and able to follow study procedures..
  • Ability to perform light to moderate physical activity.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any contraindication for MRI scanning.
  • Any history of childhood (> 95th percentile) or adult obesity (BMI >30 kg/m^2).
  • Claustrophobia.
  • High intensity training or physical activity.
  • Any contraindication for intragastric balloon insertion.
  • Any allergies to the study meals.
  • Any history of eating disorder.
  • Any substance abuse disorder (including alcohol and tobacco).
  • Any history of psychiatric disorders.
  • Any cardiovascular, endocrine, pulmonary, neurological, or gastrointestinal comorbidities.
  • Pregnancy or nursing.
  • Any history of bariatric surgery or endoscopic bariatric procedure.
  • Use of any medication or supplement that alters appetite.
  • Patient has a known history of any condition or factor judged by the investigator to prevent participation in the study or which might hinder study adherence.

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

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Other: Food-Print Main Arm
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (pCASL-MRI) after Caloric and Volumetric stimulus in lean patients will be performed on all patients in the study
Other: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (pCASL-MRI)
MRI's will be performed at multiple points on each visit day.
Other: Intragastric Balloon
Intragastric Balloon will be placed during Visit 2 study day and inflated to maximum tolerated volume. Patient will then be scanned in the MRI.
Other Names:
  • IGB
Other: Elemental Meal
Patient will ingest the tasteless elemental meal until their maximum level of fullness. Once full, the patient will be scanned in the MRI.
Other: Hedonic Meal
Patient will ingest meal of their choice from a local food delivery service and eat until they reach their maximum level of fullness. Once full, the patient will be scanned in the MRI

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
Difference in Cerebral Blood Flow related to hypothalamus
Time Frame: 1 month
The mean difference in cerebral blood flow (CBF) at fullness (satiation) and return to hunger (satiety) to the hypothalamic area.
1 month

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
Cerebral Bloodflow related in multiple brain areas
Time Frame: 1 month
The mean difference in cerebral blood flow (CBF) at fullness (satiation) and return to hunger (satiety) to the other brain areas related to food intake regulation.
1 month
Cerebral Blood Flow between three stimuli
Time Frame: 1 month
The mean difference in cerebral blood flow (CBF) between the 3 different stimuli.
1 month
Hormone level
Time Frame: 1 month
Differences in hormones levels (ghrelin, GLP-1, CCK, PYY, leptin, insulin, GIP, amylin) at each of the stages (I.e., baseline, fullness, maximal fullness) after the three different stimulations. These hormones will be compared before and after the same stimulation days. The hormone measurements on stimulation days will also be compared to each other.
1 month
comparison of calories
Time Frame: 1 month
Correlation the caloric consumption to fullness, maximal fullness with degree of cerebral blood flow(CBF) change on PASL MRI.
1 month
calorie corellation to hormones
Time Frame: 1 month
Correlation the caloric consumption to fullness, maximal fullness with changes in the hormonal levels (ghrelin, GLP-1, CCK, PYY, leptin, insulin, GIP, amylin).
1 month
hormone level comparison
Time Frame: 1 month
Differences in the hormonal levels (ghrelin, GLP-1, CCK, PYY, leptin, insulin, GIP, amylin) between fullness and hunger after the three different stimulations. These hormones will be compared before and after the same stimulation days. The hormone measurements on stimulation days will also be compared to each other.
1 month
Time differences in stimuli
Time Frame: 1 month
Differences in time to next meal after maximal fullness after the three different stimulations.
1 month
Caloric consumption differences in stimuli
Time Frame: 1 month
Differences in the caloric consumption after maximal fullness after the three different stimulations.
1 month
FitBit measured Physical Activity
Time Frame: 1 month
Measurement of daily physical activity during free-living conditions measured through the use of FitBit tracker over the duration of the study.
1 month

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.
Mayo Clinic

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: Andres Acosta, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic

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.

Helpful Links

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.
September 8, 2022

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
August 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
August 1, 2028

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).
August 16, 2022

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.
August 30, 2022

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.
September 2, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

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.
September 18, 2025

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.
September 13, 2025

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.
September 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.
  • 21-010514

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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