The Chocolate Study 2.0
Assessment of Dopaminergic Neurotransmission in Response to Tasting Chocolate (The Chocolate Study 2.0)
1 other identifier
observational
20
1 country
1
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to test how the brain responds when enjoyable foods such as chocolate are consumed. The investigators know that eating certain types of foods can make an individual want to keep eating even when he or she is full. The chemical in the brain that causes this is called dopamine. The investigators can measure this response by looking at changes to how an individual's eye responds to light.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at below P25 for all trials
Started Jul 2019
Shorter than P25 for all trials
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
July 25, 2019
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
July 25, 2019
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
July 30, 2019
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
September 5, 2019
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
September 5, 2019
CompletedApril 11, 2025
April 1, 2025
1 month
July 25, 2019
April 8, 2025
Conditions
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
Retinal dopamine response to oral stimuli
Electroretinograph b-wave amplitude will increase in response to increases in the amount of sugar in the chocolate.
30 minutes
Secondary Outcomes (2)
Correlation between b-wave amplitude and PEQ scores
30 minutes
Correlation between b-wave amplitude and habitual dietary intake
30 minutes
Study Arms (1)
Chocolate
Participants will be asked to taste commercially available chocolate varying in sugar, fat and percent cocoa.
Interventions
Participants will be asked to taste commercially available chocolate varying in sugar, fat and percent cocoa (extreme dark (90%), dark (70%), milk (38%), and white (0%)).
Eligibility Criteria
Community sample
You may qualify if:
- BMI 20-24.9 kg/m2
- ability to understand and sign the consent form
- availability of transportation (i.e., participants must be able to provide their own transportation to the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center)
- be free of any major illness/disease
You may not qualify if:
- food allergies
- participation in a weight loss diet/exercise program
- pregnancy
- lactation
- metabolic illness/disease (diabetes, renal failure, thyroid illness, hypertension)
- eye illness/disease (narrow angle glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinal detachment, cataracts)
- psychiatric, neurological or eating disorders (schizophrenia, depression, Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, epilepsy, anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa)
- taking any type of prescription medication with the exception of oral contraceptives and antihyperlipidemia agents
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center
Grand Forks, North Dakota, 58203, United States
MeSH Terms
Interventions
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Shanon Casperson, PhD
USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center
Study Design
- Study Type
- observational
- Observational Model
- COHORT
- Time Perspective
- OTHER
- Sponsor Type
- FED
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
July 25, 2019
First Posted
July 30, 2019
Study Start
July 25, 2019
Primary Completion
September 5, 2019
Study Completion
September 5, 2019
Last Updated
April 11, 2025
Record last verified: 2025-04