Sensory Science and Metabolism; Molecular and Neuronal Mechanisms

NINR/NIAAA的感官科学和新陈代谢(SenSMet)实验室进行翻译和临床住院和门诊研究。已经开展了积极的合作，以调查在营养、味道和肥胖方面共同感兴趣的领域。具体地说，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博士合作实施了感觉表型措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)调查肥胖的神经元机制；b)调查澳大利亚/澳大利亚肥胖患者的多感官变化；c)调查新冠肺炎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的一个常见抱怨是味觉改变。饮食习惯很大程度上是由口感检测决定的。这项研究由Joseph博士与加州大学旧金山分校的Chris Miaskowski和Kord Kober共同领导，目的是评估报告味道变化的肿瘤患者在常见症状和压力水平方面的差异。这项研究为接受化疗的肿瘤患者的口味变化、常见的共生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口味变化，因为这些症状会影响患者的营养摄入和生活质量(Joseph P.V.等人，2021年)。作为该项目的总结，Claudia Colina-Prisco博士将描述外切体的特征，并检测从肿瘤患者的血清中分离出来的外切体中的神经炎性标志物。这项研究第二部分的手稿目前正在撰写中。 2.肥胖和酒精使用障碍(AUD)。 酒精使用障碍(AUD)是一个广泛存在的公共卫生问题，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障碍有关。新的研究表明，AUD和早期生活压力(ELS)之间存在很强的相关性，这表明童年时期的逆境会增加对这种疾病的易感性。除了直接的健康后果外，澳大利亚糖尿病还显著影响生活质量，影响身体、心理、社会和环境领域的福祉。此外，AUD、肥胖和口味变化之间的有趣联系已经引起了人们的注意，这让人们深入了解了酒精摄入、体重增加和感官感知之间的复杂相互作用。随着我们对AUD、ELS和QOL对肥胖和品味影响之间复杂关系的理解的扩大，它强调了为受影响的个人提供干预和有效支持的必要性。约瑟夫博士的团队深入研究了澳大利亚、ELS和QOL之间相互交织的复杂关系的不同方面，这些关系对肥胖和味觉的影响。 Agarwal博士研究了体重指数(BMI)、AUD和ELS诱导的大脑连接性改变之间的关系，使用了401名AUD参与者，他们的BMI高达60%。我们的团队发现了显著网络(SN)和大脑区域之间有趣的反相关关系，这些区域涉及躯体感觉处理、运动协调和受ELs影响的执行功能。此外，我们的团队研究了AUD和自我报告的化学感觉能力和生活质量之间的联系。研究发现，与不喝酒的人相比，大量饮酒的人自我报告的嗅觉能力有所降低。这项研究表明，持续酗酒的人具有较低的化学感觉能力和较差的生活质量结果(例如，身体、生理、社会和环境)。我们的团队还发现，持续酗酒者的化学感觉能力较低，生活质量结果较差。

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.