Neural Correlates of Food Reward in American Indian Women

描述(申请人提供)：这个K23奖项将允许美国第一位印第安人(AI)成年内分泌学家Beckman博士成为一名研究人员，擅长使用功能磁共振成像(FMRI)进行跨学科研究，研究肥胖的原因。她对肥胖和糖尿病的神经心理学有职业兴趣，她的重点是明尼苏达州的人工智能人口。在人工智能中，肥胖是一个主要的健康差距，但在揭开这个问题的神经生物学方面做的工作很少。培训和研究活动将使她能够检查计算神经科学、功能神经解剖学的复杂性，以及阿片能神经元对大脑奖励通路的贡献。该申请提出了一项为期5年的强化指导研究和正式培训活动计划，以增强Beckman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)功能磁共振数据获取和分析的技术方面，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，贝克曼博士将利用这些翻译研究技能来研究神经调节、认知结构调整和阿片类药物拮抗剂，作为治疗人工智能患者肥胖这一公共健康问题的潜在有效方法，这些患者可能对环境有益的食物提示有高反应性。这一职业发展奖的研究部分针对60个AIS的食物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来比较肥胖和瘦人工智能女性对视觉食物提示反应的大脑激活，2)使用功能磁共振成像比较阿片类拮抗剂纳曲酮和安慰剂对大脑激活和对美味食物提示的反应的影响，3)通过测量卡路里消耗，比较纳曲酮和安慰剂对肥胖和瘦人工智能女性食物摄入量的影响。明尼苏达大学是贝克曼博士获得实现目标所需技能的绝佳环境。培训部分使用学术资源，包括明尼苏达肥胖中心糖尿病、代谢和内分泌科、成瘾冲动研究中心、磁共振成像中心以及临床和翻译科学研究所。贝克曼博士的导师都是在肥胖、成瘾和神经成像领域备受推崇的科学家。

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.