The Impact of the Physiological Response to Sugar on Brain Activity and Behavior
Completed · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Food Preferences, Appetitive Behavior
In brief
The goal of this pilot study is to test the feasibility of assessing how biological factors and chemical properties of sugars may influence metabolism and food reward in humans. The main questions it aims to answer are: • Can differences in appetitive responses and neural activations to sucrose (table sugar) and its chemical components (glucose and fructose) be measured and quantified? This study is a crossover design, meaning every participant will complete every condition. Participants will consume beverages containing sucrose, glucose, or fructose, which are each novelly flavored, 6 times within a week. During one of the consumption times, energy expenditure, carbohydrate oxidation, and blood glucose will be measured in the lab before and for 2 hours after consumption. After participants have consumed each condition, they will undergo a tasting task in the MRI scanner, neural responses to receipt of the beverages are measured.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT06015490
- Run by
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- People needed
- 7
- Starts
- 2023-09-01
- Expected to finish
- 2024-07-22
- Last updated by the study team
- 2025-09-11
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 45. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.
You may qualify if…
- BMI between 18.5-25 kg/m2
- Not pregnant or planning to become pregnant during study participation
- Residing in the Roanoke area and/or willing/able to attend sessions at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute (FBRI) at Virginia Tech Carilion
- Weigh at least 110 lbs
You may not qualify if…
- Current inhaled nicotine use
- History of alcohol dependence.
- Current or past diagnosis of cardiometabolic disease or problems, including diabetes, endocrine, heart, or thyroid problems, that may influence study outcomes
- Hemoglobin A1C >5.7%
- Taking medications known to influence study measures (including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), allergy, antidepressant, antipsychotic, anxiolytic, birth control, blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, thyroid, sleep, or weight loss medications)
- Active medical or neurologic disorder, including cardiometabolic conditions or gastrointestinal conditions that may influence study outcomes
- Recent change in body weight (gain or loss of > 5 lbs within the past 3 months)
- Current shift work (typical pattern of work/activity overnight)
- Previous weight loss surgery
- Adherence to a special diet within the past 3 months (e.g., low-carb or ketogenic diet, exclusion of food groups/specific macronutrients, intermittent fasting, etc.)
- Allergy to any food or ingredient included in the study diets, meals, or beverages
- Currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant during study participation
- Claustrophobia
- Contraindications for MRI, including pacemaker, aneurysm clips, neurostimulators, cochlear or other implants, metal in eyes, regular work with steel, etc. (Note: This is an fMRI-specific exclusion criterion. Participants may be allowed to participate in all other study sessions and measures that do not involve fMRI.)
- Contraindications for bioelectrical impedance analysis, specifically implanted devices
- Use of substances (or combinations of substances) in doses and frequencies that could influence neural outcomes of study.
Where it is running
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion — Roanoke, Virginia, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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