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CompletedNCT01228097NEWSUpdated Mar 10, 2015

Neural Response to Eating and Weight Status

An observational study in Obesity, sponsored by University of Pennsylvania. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2015-03-10.

Sponsored by University of Pennsylvania · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
75
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

This study will compare brain and hormone responses to food images (and food) in women who undergo: (1) gastric bypass surgery; (2) principally restrictive surgery (laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy); or (3) no weight loss surgery, with the intent of remaining relatively weight stable (within 10-15 lb of your present weight). The investigators will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to see how the brain responds to pictures of food and to consuming a liquid meal replacement. The investigators wish to determine whether the two surgeries have different effects on appetite, as observable in the brain, and whether the possible effects on appetite differ from those in participants who have a similar body weight but remain relatively weight stable. The investigators also will draw blood to determine how "hunger" and "fullness" hormones change after eating and to see if there are any differences among the three groups. The study is being sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Read the detailed description

We hypothesize that RYGB-treated patients will exhibit greater reductions (from baseline) in BOLD response in areas associated with homeostatic and hedonic eating than will both LAGB/LSG and control patients. We also expect that LAGB/LSG patients (as a result of hormonal changes occurring with weight loss) will display greater increases in BOLD response to images of highly palatable foods than will extremely obese controls.

We expect that RYGB-treated patients will show larger increases (relative to baseline) in postprandial GLP-1 and PYY3-36 than the LAGB/LSG and obese control groups. We will also compare changes in ghrelin in the three groups. We predict that patients who undergo RYGB will have greater reductions in ghrelin than will control subjects.

We expect that RYGB-treated patients will demonstrate greater postprandial changes (relative to baseline) in brain activity in the homeostatic and hedonic feeding areas (suggesting normalization of satiety and of neural processing of food reward) than will patients who undergo LAGB/LSG or who do not seek weight loss.

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Conditions studied

  • Obesity
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In context

Lead sponsor

University of Pennsylvania is the lead sponsor of 1,635 studies on the registry; 239 are open to participants now.

Of its 154 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 104 (68%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Women with extreme obesity (i.e., BMI 40 kg/m2) or moderate obesity (BMI 35.0-39.9 kg/m2) plus significant weight-related comorbidities.

Inclusion criteria

  • Women
  • Over 18 years old
  • BMI of 40 kg/ m2 (or 35 kg/m2 in the presence of significant weight-related comorbidities, including established coronary artery disease, established peripheral arterial disease, symptomatic carotid artery disease, sleep apnea, metabolic syndrome, cardiomyopathy, hypertension, and debilitating joint pain).
  • Non-surgical group must be willing to remain weight stable and not seek weight loss (i.e., defined as remaining within 5% of baseline weight).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Weight > 350 pounds the maximum weight that can be accommodated in the scanner); supine abdominal width (with arms folded above) > 60 cm or sagittal diameter > 50 cm (i.e., these are the maximum dimensions that can be accommodated in the scanner)
  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
  • Severe major depression or other psychiatric disorder that significantly interferes with daily living
  • Substance use disorder (current or in remission 1 year)
  • Current use of nicotine or any illicit drug
  • Presence or history of orthopedic circumstances, metallic inserts, pacemaker, claustrophobia, or other conditions that may interfere with magnetic resonance imaging
  • Use of weight loss medications or other agents known to affect body weight or blood glucose (e.g., glucocorticoids, second-generation antipsychotic medications)
  • Lack of capacity to provide informed consent
  • Non-surgical participants interested in losing weight in the next 2 years
  • Plans to relocate from the area within 2 years
  • Principal Investigator discretion
05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
75 participants (actual)
Biospecimen retention
Samples with dna

Groups and cohorts

  • Gastric Bypass

    Participants who receive gastric bypass surgery.

  • Principally Restrictive Surgery

    Participants who receive gastric banding or sleeve gastrectomy surgery.

  • Weight Stable

    Participants who remain weight stable.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. To compare changes in BOLD response to images of high-calorie foods in RYGB patients, LAGB/LSG patients, and untreated controls.

    Time frame: Baseline, 6-Months, 18-Months

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Study locations

1 site
  • University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Sarkar S, Anokye-Danso F, Tronieri JS, Millar JS, Alamuddin N, Wadden TA, Ahima RS. Differential Effects of Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery and Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy on Fatty Acid Levels. Obes Surg. 2019 Dec;29(12):3941-3947. doi: 10.1007/s11695-019-04062-5. PubMed 31290107 ↗
  • Alamuddin N, Vetter ML, Ahima RS, Hesson L, Ritter S, Minnick A, Faulconbridge LF, Allison KC, Sarwer DB, Chittams J, Williams NN, Hayes MR, Loughead JW, Gur R, Wadden TA. Changes in Fasting and Prandial Gut and Adiposity Hormones Following Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y-Gastric Bypass: an 18-Month Prospective Study. Obes Surg. 2017 Jun;27(6):1563-1572. doi: 10.1007/s11695-016-2505-5. PubMed 28004304 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 10, 2015, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01228097
Lead sponsor
University of Pennsylvania
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Oct 25, 2010
Start date
Apr 2010
Primary completion
Jan 2015
Completion
Jan 2015
Last update
Mar 10, 2015

Study contacts

Thomas A. Wadden, PhD
principal investigator · University of Pennsylvania

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Dec 2011. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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