Neural Correlates of Food Reward in American Indian Women

描述（由申请人提供）：K23奖将允许美国第一位美国印第安人（AI）成人内分泌学家贝克曼博士成为一名精通跨学科研究的研究者，利用功能磁共振成像（fMRI）研究肥胖的原因。她的职业兴趣是肥胖和糖尿病的神经心理学，她的重点是明尼苏达州的人工智能人口。肥胖是人工智能中一个主要的健康差异，但在解开这一问题的神经生物学方面却做得很少。培训和研究活动将使她能够研究计算神经科学的复杂性，功能神经解剖学，以及阿片能神经元对大脑奖励通路的贡献。该申请提出了一个密集的，为期5年的指导研究和正式培训活动计划，以提高贝克曼博士在以下方面的技能和经验：1)临床研究方法和生物统计学，2)fMRI数据采集和分析的技术方面，以及3)阿片能神经元在食欲神经内分泌调节中的作用。从长远来看，Beckman博士将运用这些转化研究技能来研究神经调节、认知重组和阿片类拮抗剂，作为对可能对环境有益食物线索反应过度的AI患者肥胖公共卫生问题的潜在有效治疗方法。这个职业发展奖项的研究部分针对60个人工智能对食物的行为反应的神经生物学。具体目的是：1)使用功能磁共振成像（fMRI）比较肥胖和瘦弱AI女性对视觉食物线索的反应相关的大脑激活；2)使用功能磁共振成像（fMRI）比较纳曲酮（阿片类拮抗剂）与安慰剂对美味食物线索反应相关的大脑激活的影响；3)通过测量消耗的卡路里，比较纳曲酮与安慰剂对肥胖和瘦弱AI女性食物摄入的影响。明尼苏达大学为贝克曼博士提供了一个特殊的环境，使她能够获得实现目标所需的技能。培训部分使用的学术资源包括糖尿病、代谢和内分泌学部门、明尼苏达肥胖中心、成瘾冲动研究中心、磁共振成像中心以及临床和转化科学研究所。贝克曼博士的导师是在肥胖、成瘾和神经成像领域备受尊敬的科学家。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This K23 award will allow Dr. Beckman, the first American Indian (AI) adult endocrinologist in the nation, to become an investigator proficient in interdisciplinary research using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the causes of obesity. She has a career interest in the neuropsychology of obesity and diabetes and her focus is on the AI population in Minnesota. Obesity is a major health disparity in AIs, yet litle work is being done to unravel the neurobiology of this problem. The training and research activities will allow her to examine the complexities of computational neuroscience, functional neuroanatomy, and the contribution of opioidergic neurons to brain reward pathways. The application proposes an intensive, 5-year program of mentored research and formal training activities to enhance Dr. Beckman's skills and experience in: 1) clinical research methods and biostatistics, 2) technical aspects of fMRI data acquisition and analysis, and 3) role of opioidergic neurons in the neuroendocrine regulation of appetite. In the long term, Dr. Beckman will apply these translational research skills to study neuromodulation, cognitive restructuring, and opioid antagonists as potentially effective treatments for the public health problem of obesity in her AI patients who may be hyperresponsive to environmentally rewarding food cues. The research component of this career development award targets the neurobiology of behavioral responses to food in 60 AIs. The specific aims are to: 1) use fMRI to compare brain activation associated with the response to visual food cues in obese versus lean AI women, 2) use fMRI to compare the effects of naltrexone, an opioid antagonist, versus placebo, on brain activation associated with response to palatable food cues, 3) compare the effects of naltrexone versus placebo on food intake in obese and lean AI women, by measuring calories consumed. The University of Minnesota is an exceptional environment for Dr. Beckman to gain the skills needed to achieve her goals. The training component uses academic resources including the Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Minnesota Obesity Center, Center for the Study of Impulsivity in Addiction, Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Dr. Beckman's mentors are highly regarded scientists in the areas of obesity, addiction, and neuroimaging.