Ottis Media and Obesity

描述(由申请人提供)：本申请旨在为R01的提交做准备，该R01集中于中耳炎和肥胖之间联系的越来越多的证据。向参加讲座的学术参与者发放的调查问卷包括人口统计信息(性别、年龄、身高、体重)和关于中耳炎的问题(您是否患有中耳感染？1)没有，2)是，但不严重，3)是，多次使用抗生素，或4)是，需要在耳朵中放置管子)。参与者还使用一种新的量表对他们对26种食物/饮料的喜好进行了评级，该量表是为了在所有享乐体验的背景下衡量食物喜好而开发的。该量表允许对不同组(例如，中耳炎病史不同的组)之间的喜好进行有效比较。对于成年人(35岁)，随着中耳炎严重程度的增加，身体质量指数(BMI)上升；对于中重度中耳炎病史，女性超重或肥胖增加35%，男性增加27%。随着中耳炎的严重程度增加，对高卡路里食物的偏好也增加了。我们假设了以下一系列事件。由于鼓索味觉神经在到达大脑的途中穿过中耳，鼓索在中耳受到与中耳炎相关的病原体的损害。对这条神经的损伤通过释放抑制机制加强了其他一些口腔感觉。由于口腔感觉和鼻后嗅觉之间的中枢联系，对这一神经的损伤也会改变味道。食物感官特性的改变改变了人们对这些食物的偏好和摄入量。具体地说，请求提供支持，以填补这一推理中的剩余空白，为提交R01做准备。首先，必须在适当构成的流行病学数据库中验证与肥胖有关的中耳炎病史。我们建议与听力损失流行病学和明尼苏达大学中耳炎媒体研究中心合作。核查将支持进一步努力确定该协会的机制。其次，中耳炎病史的标准必须根据耳鼻咽喉科医生的意见加以完善；我们已经招募了这一领域的三位领导者来指导我们。最后，所有这些都必须在肥胖方面的专业知识的背景下进行；我们已经招募了这一领域的两位领导者，他们也具有将任何结果潜在地转化为肥胖临床问题的专业知识。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is intended to prepare for the submission of an R01 focused on the growing evidence for an association between otitis media and obesity. A questionnaire given to academic attendees at lectures included demographic information (sex, age, height, weight) and a question about otitis media (Have you ever suffered from middle ear infections? 1) no, 2) yes, but not serious, 3) yes, required antibiotics more than once, or 4) yes, required tubes in ears). Attendees also rated their liking for 26 food/beverage items using a new scale developed to measure food liking in the context of all hedonic experience. This scale .r permits valid comparisons of liking across groups (e.g., groups that differ in history of otitis media). For adults (¿35 years), as otitis media increased in severity, body mass index (BMI) rose; for moderate to severe histories of otitis media, overweight or obesity increased by 35% for females and 27% for males. As otitis media increased in severity, preference for high-calorie foods rose as well. We hypothesize the following sequence of events. Since the chorda tympani taste nerve passes through the middle ear on its way to the brain, the chorda tympani is damaged in the middle ear by pathogens associated with otitis media. The damage to this nerve intensifies some other oral sensations through a release of inhibition mechanism. Because of central connections between oral sensations and retronasal olfaction, damage to this nerve also alters flavor. Alterations in the sensory properties of foods alter preferences for and intake of these foods. Specifically, support is requested to fill in the remaining gaps in this reasoning to prepare for the submission of an R01. First, the otitis media history association with obesity must be verified in properly constituted epidemiological databases. We propose partnerships with the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss and University of Minnesota Center for Otitis Media studies. Verification will support further efforts to determine the mechanism of the association. Second, criteria for otitis media history must be refined with input from otolaryngologists; we have recruited three leaders in this field to guide us. Finally, all of this must be done in the context of expertise in obesity; we have recruited two leaders in this field who also have expertise in potential translation of any results to the clinical problem of obesity.