MedPath

Does What You Eat Affect Your Brain

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Obesity
Eating
Gliosis
Registration Number
NCT05626907
Lead Sponsor
University of Washington
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the human hypothalamus for signs of inflammation in response to specific diets. This research may lead to a better understanding of how poor nutritional quality may lead to obesity through effects on regions of the brain known to regulate body weight.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
36
Inclusion Criteria
  • Age 20-40 years
  • Overweight: BMI 25-29.9 kg/m2
  • Willing to undergo randomly assigned 14-day diet modification
Exclusion Criteria
  • History of bariatric surgery or active participation in weight-loss program
  • Major medical or neurological disorder (e.g., diabetes, multiple sclerosis)
  • Anemia or impaired kidney or liver function
  • Known gallbladder disease or gallstones
  • Hypertriglyceridemia (>350 mg/dl)
  • Current use of orlistat or other weight-loss medications or other medications known to alter appetite (e.g., atypical anti-psychotics)
  • More than moderate level of physical activity (>1000 met-min/wk)
  • Pregnancy, menopause, or breastfeeding
  • MRI contraindication (e.g., implanted metal, claustrophobia)
  • Lifetime eating disorder
  • Current smoking or heavy alcohol use (≥ 2 drinks per day for females and ≥ 3 drinks per day for males)
  • Weight > 350 pounds (MRI limit)
  • Dietary restrictions (e.g., vegan) incompatible with controlled diets

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Hypothalamic Gliosis7 days of diet intervention

T2 relaxation time as measured by brain MRI

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Washington

🇺🇸

Seattle, Washington, United States

University of Washington
🇺🇸Seattle, Washington, United States

MedPath

Empowering clinical research with data-driven insights and AI-powered tools.

© 2025 MedPath, Inc. All rights reserved.