Molecular and Functional Neurobiology of Physical Exercise (EXEBRAIN)

In this study, we use positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study brain mechanisms that contribute to physical exercise-induced reward. We examine whether acute physical exercise releases endogenous opioids in the brain, and whether it modulates brain responses to viewing appetizing foods. Unraveling these mechanism are instrumental from a public health perspective, given the undisputed positive health effects of physical exercise.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Physical Exercise Behavior (Liking/Aversion)
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Exercise

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 24
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Finland
  • Turku, Finland, 20810
    • Turku PET Centre

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Native Finnish speaker
2. Age > 18 years
3. Western Caucasian origin

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Age < 18 or > 65
2. History or current mental disorder
3. BMI > 27 kg/m2
4. Use of drugs that influence the central nervous system, including nicotine
5. Poor compliance
6. Any chronic medical defect or injury which hinder or interfere everyday life
7. Eating disorder
8. Current or past excessive use of alcohol or substance abuse
9. Past dose of radiation from medical research such that the annual effective dose will exceed 10 mSv
10. Any other condition that in the opinion of the investigator could create a hazard to the subject safety, endanger the study procedures or interfere with the interpretation of study results
11. Presence of any ferromagnetic objects that would make MR imaging contraindicated

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Physical exercise	Behavioral: Exercise

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Binding of [11C]carfentanil in brain confirmed by positron emission tomography	Change in binding of [11C]carfentanil in baseline and 20 min after physical exercise completion	Baseline and 20 min after physical exercise completion

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Turku University Hospital
• Collaborators: Novo Nordisk A/S; University of Turku; Academy of Finland; Juho Vainio Foundation

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: April 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2018
• Study Completion (Actual): June 1, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 10, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 23, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): November 26, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 9, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 4, 2021
• Last Verified: March 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 19/180/2013

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