The Role of the FTO Gene in Reward System Activation in Obese and Healthy Subjects

NCT01863212 | Unknown DMC

• 1 other identifier: LSF008786
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 500
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

In order to investigate if individuals, carrying genetic variants predisposing to obesity, respond differently to visual presented food images than non-carriers the investigators aim to screen 500 people for a common risk variant in the FTO gene. From those 500 screened 40 subjects, 20 homozygous for the risk allele and 20 homozygous for a non risk allele will be selected for the second step in the study. This part involves the fMRI technique to visualize the brain response, focus on reward system activation, when food images are visually presented in the scanner. Factors regarding eating behavior, sleep, physical exercise and relation to food are investigated in the first part of the study as well as clinical parameters such as BMI.

Conditions

Obesity; Eating Behavior

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Genotyping for variants in the FTO gene associated with overweight and obesity

  Blood sampling for genetic analyse is performed at the initiation visit

Study Arms (2)

Risk allele carriers

EXPERIMENTAL

Individuals homozygous for the risk allele (A/A) The interventions administrated to this group: 'Blood sampling for genetic analyse', 'Stroop test', 'fMRI'

Procedure: Blood sampling for genetic analyse; Behavioral: Stroop test; Other: fMRI

Non risk allele carriers

EXPERIMENTAL

Individuals homozygous for the non-risk allele (T/T) The interventions administrated to this group: 'Blood sampling for genetic analyse', 'Stroop test', 'fMRI'

Procedure: Blood sampling for genetic analyse; Behavioral: Stroop test; Other: fMRI

Interventions

Blood sampling for genetic analyse PROCEDURE

Blood sampling are performed at the initiation visit in order to screen for allele variants

Non risk allele carriers; Risk allele carriers

Stroop test BEHAVIORAL

Selective attention test where subjects, in one minute, names the ink color of several words without naming the word itself.

Non risk allele carriers; Risk allele carriers

fMRI OTHER

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, performed to view brain activity

Non risk allele carriers; Risk allele carriers

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 37 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• No medications (except contraceptives including estrogen)
• No metabolic disorders/diseases
• Right handed
• Color vision
• Normal sleep-wake rhythm (eg. shift workers can not participate)

You may not qualify if:

• Specific preferences of food, for example vegetarians
• Grandparents originating from country outside the Nordic area
• Metallic implants

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Uppsala University: lead

Study Sites (2)

Uppsala University

Uppsala, Uppsala County, 752 72, Sweden

RECRUITING

dep. Neuroscience, Uppsala University

Uppsala, Uppsala County, Sweden

RECRUITING

Related Publications (2)

• Andreoli MF, De Francesco PN, Titova OE, Perello M, Schioth HB. Plasma LEAP2 concentration is associated with attention and cognitive responses to low-calorie food cues in men depending on body weight status. Physiol Behav. 2025 Nov 1;301:115049. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115049. Epub 2025 Aug 7.

  PMID: 40759193 DERIVED

• Wiemerslage L, Islam R, van der Kamp C, Cao H, Olivo G, Ence-Eriksson F, Castillo S, Larsen AL, Bandstein M, Dahlberg LS, Perland E, Gustavsson V, Nilsson J, Vogel H, Schurmann A, Larsson EM, Rask-Andersen M, Benedict C, Schioth HB. A DNA methylation site within the KLF13 gene is associated with orexigenic processes based on neural responses and ghrelin levels. Int J Obes (Lond). 2017 Jun;41(6):990-994. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2017.43. Epub 2017 Feb 14.

  PMID: 28194012 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Obesity; Feeding Behavior

Interventions

Blood Specimen Collection; Stroop Test

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Overweight; Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Body Weight; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior, Animal; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Specimen Handling; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Punctures; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Investigative Techniques; Neuropsychological Tests; Psychological Tests; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Officials

• Christian Benedict, PhD

  dep. Neuroscience, Uppsala University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Christian Benedict, PhD

CONTACT

christian.benedict@neuro.uu.se

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 21, 2013
• First Posted: May 27, 2013
• Study Start: September 1, 2010
• Primary Completion: September 1, 2014
• Study Completion: September 1, 2014
• Last Updated: May 27, 2013

Record last verified: 2013-05

Locations

SE (2)