Will Work for Reward: Effects of Ghrelin Administration on Dopamine and Effort

Ghrelin is a stomach-derived hormone and the only known circulating peptide that stimulates appetite. Animal studies have conclusively shown that ghrelin increases dopaminergic neurotransmission and, thereby, enhances effort. However, similar evidence on the putative role of ghrelin in humans is still lacking. Here, the investigators propose to conduct a [11C]-raclopride PET/MR study after intravenous administration of ghrelin vs. saline in healthy individuals. First, during an intake visit, the investigators will assess fasting blood levels of hormones involved in appetitive behavior such as ghrelin, leptin, and insulin. In addition, the investigators will conduct a set of tasks that have been associated with dopamine function (i.e., effort and reinforcement learning). Second, the investigators will assess the effects of intravenous administration of ghrelin on dopamine signaling using a double-blind randomized cross-over design. To this end, participants will be infused with ghrelin (vs. saline) while we determine dopamine release (via PET imaging) and assess cerebral blood flow and functional connectivity at rest (via concurrent MR imaging). Furthermore, the investigators will conduct an instrumental motivation task (IMT) where participants have to exert physical effort to obtain rewards. Based on preclinical studies and indirect evidence from human studies, the investigators hypothesize that ghrelin will increase dopamine release in the striatum and that this will, in turn, lead to an increase in the willingness to work for rewards. Moreover, the investigators expect that ghrelin-induced dopamine release will be associated with an elevated tracking of reward utility in the mesolimbic circuit during the IMT, which is known to be associated with response vigor. Collectively, the proposed project would provide a unique resource to test an important link between the gut and the brain in the regulation of appetitive behavior. If ghrelin were to enhance effort expenditure for rewards via dopamine signaling in humans, then restoring sensitivity to ghrelin might be the more promising therapeutic approach compared to antagonizing the ghrelin receptor.