Examining cortical systems involved in modulating calorie-seeking behavior

随着在实验室中无创调节和测量大脑活动的方法的出现，我们从未有过能够解开放纵饮食背后的关键机制的位置。同样，随着对放纵饮食与许多不良健康结果之间联系的理解，在这一调查领域产生新知识，以确保我们的预防工作是根据基础科学（而不是民意或习俗），这一点从未如此重要。我继续研究项目的总体目标是建立并进一步巩固这一知识基础，利用社会神经科学、心理科学和基础行为科学的技术，弥合饮食基础研究和应用研究之间的差距。我们的研究将努力测试两个大脑区域在控制放纵饮食的不同方面的重要性，无论是单独的还是共同的：背外侧前额叶皮层和背内侧前额叶皮层。我们提出的研究计划将是第一个系统地检查涉及这些大脑区域的多种假定机制的研究计划，通过实验实际操纵这些区域的功能，使用一种称为经颅磁刺激（rTMS）的技术结合便携式脑成像技术（功能近红外光谱）。与此同时，我们还将尝试改进一些方法，以推动整个领域在涉及这里感兴趣的大脑系统的饮食基础研究中向前发展。加拿大非常需要培训项目，提供rTMS，脑成像和饮食研究方面的培训，我们在这方面有很好的条件。虽然许多实验室使用功能磁共振成像进行脑成像，但我们的方案使用的是移动版的脑成像，这对于研究现实条件下进食时的大脑过程可能特别有用，而这在功能磁共振成像扫描仪中是无法复制的。加拿大作为一个国家将受益于知识库的改进，从而为疾病预防工作奠定基础，其中许多工作的关键重点是遏制放纵的饮食。研究生和本科生将受益于获得脑调制（rTMS）和便携式脑成像研究协议的技能，并有机会为这一快速发展的科学探索领域做出贡献。

With the advent of methods to non-invasively modulate and measure brain activity in the laboratory, never before have we been in the position of unpacking the critical mechanisms underlying indulgent eating. Likewise, with the understanding of links between indulgent eating and many adverse health outcomes, never before has it been more critical to generate new knowledge in this area of enquiry, in order to ensure that our preventative efforts are informed by basic science (rather than popular opinion or convention). The overall objectives of my continuing research program are to build and further consolidate this knowledge base, bridging the gap between basic and applied research on eating, using techniques from social neuroscience, psychological science and basic behavioral science. Our studies will endeavor to test the significance of two brain regions to control different aspects of indulgent eating, either independently or working together: the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. The research program that we have proposed will be among the first to systematically examine multiple putative mechanisms by which such brain regions are involved, by actually manipulating the function of these experimentally, using a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with a portable brain imaging technology (functional near-infrared spectroscopy). While doing so, we also will attempt to make a number of methodological refinements that will serve to move the whole field forward in the conduct of basic research on eating involving the brain systems of interest here. There is much need in Canada for training programs that provide training in rTMS, brain imaging, and eating research and we are well situated to do this. Although many labs make use of fMRI for brain imaging, our protocol uses a mobile version of brain imaging that may be particularly useful for studying brain processes during eating in realistic conditions that are not replicable in an fMRI scanner. Canada as a country will benefit from an improved knowledge base upon which to base disease prevention efforts, many of which have a critical focus on curbing indulgent eating. Trainees at the graduate and undergraduate level will benefit from gaining skills in brain modulation (rTMS) and portable brain imaging research protocols, and an opportunity to contribute to this rapidly growing area of scientific inquiry.