Effect of Ghrelin on Decision-Making



Status:Not yet recruiting
Conditions:Healthy Studies, Obesity Weight Loss
Therapuetic Areas:Endocrinology, Other
Healthy:No
Age Range:18 - 40
Updated:3/1/2019
Start Date:October 2019
End Date:February 2022
Contact:Laura Page, MD
Email:laura.page@duke.edu
Phone:919-684-5091

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Effect of Ghrelin on Nutritional and Financial Decision-Making

This study evaluates the effect of the "hunger hormone" ghrelin on human decision-making.
Participants will be given an injection of ghrelin or saline on different study days and will
then be asked to make a series of computer-based decisions. The investigators hypothesize
that ghrelin will increase participant's preference for energy-dense foods and will also
increase impulsiveness in decision making.

Ghrelin is a hormone made by the stomach that stimulates hunger and feeding behavior. How
ghrelin affects human decision-making is poorly understood. This study will investigate the
effect of ghrelin on nutrition-related and time-based decisions in humans. Participants eye
movements will be tracked by a computer during the decision-making process.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Ability to speak and understand English

- BMI of 18.0 - 24.9 kg/m2 or 30.0 - 50.0 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria:

- Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (including gestational diabetes)

- Active infections

- History of malignant or inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and
inflammatory bowel disease

- History of myocardial infarction or congestive heart failure

- Active liver or kidney disease

- Uncontrolled hypertension

- Pituitary or adrenal disorders or neuroendocrine tumors

- History of anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or eating disorders not otherwise specified
(NOS); Score of "at risk" on the EAT-26 eating disorder screening tool

- Diagnosis of attention-deficient/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

- Malabsorptive gastrointestinal disease, gastroparesis, or history of gastrointestinal
surgery

- Pregnancy or lactation

- Requirement of daily medications that alter gastrointestinal function (including, but
not limited to, glucocorticoids, psychotropics, narcotics, and metoclopramide).

- Requirement of glasses for impaired vision (including reading glasses). Subjects who
wear contact lenses for vision correction will not be excluded.

- Insufficient visual acuity to read and interpret the decision stimuli

- Insufficient motor capabilities to press a button, move the joystick, or move their
eyes to indicate a response
We found this trial at
1
site
417 Chapel Drive
Durham, North Carolina 27708
Principal Investigator: Jenny Tong, MD, MPH
Phone: 919-684-5091
?
mi
from
Durham, NC
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