Objectives: The regulatory role of the brain in directing eating behavior becomes increasingly recognized. Although many areas in the brain have been found to respond to food cues, very little data... Show moreObjectives: The regulatory role of the brain in directing eating behavior becomes increasingly recognized. Although many areas in the brain have been found to respond to food cues, very little data is available after actual caloric intake. The aim of this study was to determine normal whole brain functional responses to ingestion of glucose after an overnight fast. Methods: Twenty-five normal weight, adult males underwent functional MRI on two separate visits. In a single-blind randomized study setup, participants received either glucose solution (50 g/300 ml of water) or plain water. We studied changes in Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) signal, voxel-based connectivity by Eigenvector Centrality Mapping, and functional network connectivity. Results: Ingestion of glucose led to increased centrality in the thalamus and to decreases in BOLD signal in various brain areas. Decreases in connectivity in the sensory-motor and dorsal visual stream networks were found. Ingestion of water resulted in increased centrality across the brain, and increases in connectivity in the medial and lateral visual cortex network. Increased BOLD intensity was found in the intracalcarine and cingulate cortex. Discussion: Our data show that ingestion of glucose leads to decreased activity and connectivity in brain areas and networks linked to energy seeking and satiation. In contrast, drinking plain water leads to increased connectivity probably associated with continued food seeking and unfulfilled reward. Trail registration: This study combines data of two studies registered at clinicaltrails.gov under numbers NCT03202342 and NCT03247114. Show less
This thesis describes brain function and brain responses that play a role in the maintenance of energy balance. The responses of the brain to various factors influencing energy balance in... Show moreThis thesis describes brain function and brain responses that play a role in the maintenance of energy balance. The responses of the brain to various factors influencing energy balance in healthy lean participants are described. The factors investigated include the effects of the ingestion various sugars and sweeteners, the effects of consumption temperature, the effect of added flavoring and the effect of hormones involved in energy balance. Furthermore, brain function is investigated in conditions showing a disrupted energy balance by determining brain responses in both Anorexia Nervosa and obesity. Show less
Opstal, A.M. van; Kaal, I.; Berg-Huysmans, A.A. van den; Hoeksma, M.; Blonk, C.; Pijl, H.; ... ; Grond, J. van der 2019
