Sensory Science and Metabolism; Molecular and Neuronal Mechanisms

NINR/NIAAA的感觉科学和代谢科（SenSMet）实验室进行转化和临床住院和门诊研究。积极的合作，以调查在营养，口味和肥胖共同感兴趣的领域已经进行。具体而言，与国家人类基因组研究所（NHGRI）的Gibbons博士和国家糖尿病、消化和肾脏疾病研究所（NIDDK）的Hall博士合作实施的双盲临床方案仍在继续。此外，新的合作伙伴关系发展如下：a）研究肥胖的神经机制; B）研究AUD/OUD参与者的多感官改变; c）研究COVID-19如何影响味觉和嗅觉。 1.感觉系统和慢性疾病。 接受化疗的肿瘤患者常见的抱怨是味觉改变。饮食习惯主要是由口腔感觉检测。这项研究由Joseph博士与加州大学弗朗西斯科分校（UCSF）的Chris Miaskowski和Kord Kober合作领导，旨在评估报告味觉变化的肿瘤患者的常见症状和压力水平的差异。这项研究为接受化疗的肿瘤患者的味觉变化，常见的并发症状和压力之间的关系提供了新的证据。临床医生需要评估这些患者的味觉变化，因为这些症状会影响患者的营养摄入和生活质量（Joseph P. V. 2021年）。为了结束这个项目，Claudia Colina-Prisco博士将表征外泌体，并检查从肿瘤患者血清中分离的外泌体中的神经炎症标志物。目前正在编写研究报告第二部分的草稿。 2.肥胖和酒精使用障碍（AUD）。 酒精使用障碍（AUD）是一个广泛的公共卫生问题，对个人和社会都有深远的影响。过量饮酒与不良饮食和化学感觉功能障碍有关。新兴的研究揭示了AUD和早期生活压力（ELS）之间的强烈相关性，表明童年的逆境如何增加对这种情况的易感性。除了直接的健康后果外，AUD还显著影响生活质量（QoL），影响身体，心理，社会和环境领域的福祉。此外，AUD、肥胖和味觉变化之间的有趣联系引起了人们的关注，让人们深入了解酒精摄入、体重增加和感官知觉之间复杂的相互作用。随着我们对AUD，ELS和QoL对肥胖和味觉影响之间复杂关系的理解的扩大，它强调需要为受影响的个体提供干预和有效支持。Joseph博士的团队深入研究了AUD、ELS和QoL对肥胖和味觉影响之间复杂关系的不同方面。 博士Agarwal研究了身体质量指数（BMI），AUD和ELS诱导的大脑连接改变之间的关系，使用了401名AUD参与者的队列，其中60%患有高BMI。我们的团队发现了显著性网络（SN）和参与躯体感觉处理，运动协调和受ELS影响的执行功能的大脑区域之间的有趣关系。此外，我们的团队研究了AUD与自我报告的化学感受能力和QoL之间的联系。结果发现，与不喝酒的人相比，酗酒者自我报告的嗅觉能力下降。该研究表明，较低的化学感受能力和较差的生活质量结果（例如，物理的、生理的、社会的和环境的）。我们的研究小组还发现，持续大量饮酒者的化学感受能力较低，生活质量较差。

The Section of Sensory Science and Metabolism (SenSMet) laboratory at NINR/NIAAA conducts translational and clinical inpatient and outpatient studies. Active collaborations to investigate areas of common interest in nutrition, taste, and obesity have been undertaken. Specifically, double-blind clinical protocols for which sensory phenotyping measures have been implemented in collaboration with Dr. Gibbons in the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and Dr. Hall in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) continue. In addition, new partnerships develop as follows: a) to investigate neuronal mechanisms in obesity; b) to investigate multi-sensory alterations in AUD/OUD participants, c) to investigate how taste and smell are affected by COVID-19. 1. Sensory Systems and Chronic Disorders. A common complaint among oncology patients receiving chemotherapy is altered taste perception. Dietary habits are mostly governed by oro-sensory detection. The purpose of this study, led by Dr. Joseph in collaboration with Chris Miaskowski and Kord Kober from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), is to evaluate differences in common symptoms and stress levels in oncology patients who reported taste changes. This study provides new evidence on associations between taste changes, common co-occurring symptoms, and stress in oncology patients receiving chemotherapy. Clinicians need to evaluate for taste changes in these patients because these symptoms can affect patients' nutritional intake and quality of life (Joseph P.V. et al., 2021). To conclude this project, Dr. Claudia Colina-Prisco will characterize exosomes and examine neuroinflammatory markers in exosomes isolated from serum in oncology patients. The manuscript of this second part of the study is currently being written. 2. Obesity and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a widespread public health issue with far-reaching consequences for both individuals and society. Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with poor diet and chemosensory dysfunction. Emerging research has revealed strong correlations between AUD and early life stress (ELS), indicating how adversity in childhood can increase susceptibility to this condition. Aside from its immediate health consequences, AUD significantly impacts quality of life (QoL), affecting well-being across physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains. Furthermore, the intriguing link between AUD, obesity, and taste changes has attracted attention, giving insight into the complex interplay between alcohol intake, weight increase, and sensory perceptions. As our understanding of the complex relationships between AUD, ELS, and QoL implications on obesity and taste expands, it emphasizes the need to provide interventions and effective support for individuals affected. Dr. Joseph's team delved into the different aspects of those intermingled complex relationships between AUD, ELS, and QoL implications on obesity and taste. Dr. Agarwal studied the relationship between body mass index (BMI), AUD, and ELS-induced brain connectivity alterations, using a cohort of 401 AUD participants with an incidence of 60% with high BMI. Our team uncovered intriguing anticorrelations between salience networks (SN) and brain regions involved in somatosensory processing, motor coordination, and executive functions affected by ELS. Additionally, our team studied the connection between AUD and self-reported chemosensory abilities and QoL. It was found that compared to non-drinkers, heavy drinkers showed reduced self-reported smell capacity. The study suggested a lower chemosensory ability and poorer QoL outcomes (e.g., physical, physiological, social, and environmental), in persistent heavy drinkers. Our team also found a lower chemosensory ability in persistent heavy drinkers and a poorer QoL outcome.