Influence of Intragastric Fatty Acid Infusion on Behavioral Responses to Positive Emotion Induction in Healthy Subjects

Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy Volunteers

Treatments: Dietary Supplement: Dodecanoic acid; Dietary Supplement: saline; Behavioral: neutral emotion; Behavioral: Positive emotion

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02982616

S55863

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to test whether intragastrically infused fatty acid will interact with positive emotion induction and if this effect is mediated by gut hormones.

Full description

This study aims at the possible effect of subliminal intragastric administration of fatty acids on responses to positive emotion induction, based on our earlier findings that subjective administration of fatty acid decreases neural responses to negative mood induction (Van Oudenhove et al, J Clin Invest 2011). After screening for exclusion criteria and the participants sign the informed consent form, an intravenous catheter is placed in the forearm, and a naso-gastric tube inserted through the nose. Then the test subject is connected to the equipment in order to record the activity of the autonomic nervous system, via three electrocardiogram electrodes. By using the nasogastric tube we serve a fatty acid solution (Dodecanoic acid, "fatty acid" condition) or a physiological saline solution ( "control" condition) intragastrically. The intragastric administration of low doses of this food ingredient has already been used in several previous studies by our research group and has proven perfectly safe. A positive or neutral emotional state will be induced by the combination of looking at emotional facial expressions and listening to classical music pieces that were previously validated for this purpose; This combination of incentives has already been used in previous studies of our research group. Responses will be measured by means of validated self-report scales and measurements of the vagal tone. We also take blood samples on a regular basis by the intravenous catheter for determination of gastrointestinal hormones, given our hypothesis that this may explain the effect on emotions. After removal of the nasogastric tube, the influence of subliminal administration of fatty acids and emotional state on food intake measured by means of a validated and previously drink test used in which participants "ad libitum" to drink a chocolate milkshake while the emotion-induction by means of classical music pieces continue. Finally, the intravenous catheter is removed.

Enrollment: 12 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 60 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• healthy women
• age > 18 and < 60.
• Body Mass Index (BMI) of 19-25 kg/m2 (no weight change of more than 5% of body weight in the past three months).

Exclusion criteria

• chronic medical illness affecting the gastrointestinal, endocrine, cardiovascular or nervous system (risk of) pregnancy history of upper gastrointestinal surgery history of behavioral, therapeutic or surgical treatment aiming at or leading to weight loss/gain psychiatric disorders, including (history of) depression or eating disorders alcohol abuse or dependence regular use of medication, except for oral contraception use of any drugs, including cannabis, during the past 6 months

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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12 participants in 4 patient groups, including a placebo group

positive emotion and fatty acid

Experimental group

Description:

positive emotion induction combine with 2.g Dodecanoic acid intragastric infusion

Treatment:

Behavioral: Positive emotion

Dietary Supplement: Dodecanoic acid

neutral emotion and fatty acid

Experimental group

Description:

neutral emotion induction combine with 2.g Dodecanoic acid intragastric infusion

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: Dodecanoic acid

Behavioral: neutral emotion

positive emotion and saline

Experimental group

Description:

positive emotion induction combine with saline intragastric infusion

Treatment:

Behavioral: Positive emotion

Dietary Supplement: saline

neutral emotion and saline

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

neutral emotion induction combine with saline intragastric infusion

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: saline

Behavioral: neutral emotion