Physiological and Neurocognitive Responses to Multisensory Food Cues in VR

NCT07320209 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 09.2025.25-0627
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 34
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to investigate how food cravings change when visual food cues are enriched with sound, smell, and interactive experiences in a virtual reality (VR) environment. A total of 34 healthy Marmara University students aged 18 and older will participate in the study between November 2025 and March 2026, with a possible extension until September 2026. Participants will be exposed to real, virtual, and multisensory food cues, and their food craving levels, saliva composition, blood glucose, EEG activity, and body temperature will be measured. Salivary alpha-amylase will be analysed as a biomarker of physiological arousal during food cue exposure. The study aims to compare how virtual food cues affect food craving and physiological responses compared to real food cues. Findings are expected to contribute to understanding eating behaviour, developing VR-based interventions for healthy nutrition, and encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration between nutrition and engineering fields.

Conditions

Healthy Participants

Keywords

Food cue; human-computer interaction; food craving; salivary composition; EEG

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Change in EEG activation patterns in response to food cues

  Change in neural activation patterns measured by electroencephalography (EEG) in response to food cues presented in real-world and virtual reality environments. EEG data will be recorded using a 16-channel Brain Products LiveAmp system, assessing event-related potentials (P300, N200) and frequency band power (delta, theta, alpha, beta) across reward- and attention-related cortical regions.

  Baseline and peri-procedural (during exposure to food cues) within a single study session.

• Food craving questionnaire score

  Assesses subjective food craving responses using the Food Cravings Questionnaire-State (FCQ-S). Total scores range from 15 to 75, with higher scores indicating greater momentary food craving intensity.

  Baseline and immediately after completion of all experimental cue conditions within a single study session.

• Salivary α-amylase concentration (µU/mL)

  Salivary alpha-amylase concentration will be measured as an objective indicator of autonomic nervous system activation and physiological arousal in response to food cues presented in real-world and virtual reality environments.

  Baseline and peri-procedural (during exposure to food cues) within a single study session.

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Salivary flow rate (mL/min)

  Baseline and peri-procedural (during exposure to food cues) within a single study session.

• Capillary blood glucose level (mg/dL)

  Measured pre-exposure and immediately post-exposure for each condition.

• Subjective appetite rating score

  Baseline and immediately after completion of each experimental cue condition within a single study session.

• Body surface temperature (°C)

  Baseline, during experimental cue exposure, and immediately post-exposure within a single study session.

• Presence questionnaire score

  Immediately after completion of all virtual reality experimental conditions within a single study session.

Study Arms (1)

Healthy Volunteer Participants

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be exposed to real, virtual, and multisensory food cues, and their food craving levels, saliva composition, blood glucose, EEG activity, and body temperature will be measured. Salivary alpha-amylase will be analysed as a biomarker of physiological arousal during food cue exposure. University students aged 18 and older will participate in the study.

Behavioral: Real food; Behavioral: Virtual Reality Food

Interventions

Real food BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be exposed to real foods and their food craving levels, saliva composition, blood glucose, EEG activity, and body temperature will be measured. Salivary alpha-amylase will be analysed as a biomarker of physiological arousal during food cue exposure.

Healthy Volunteer Participants

Virtual Reality Food BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be exposed to vitrual foods and their food craving levels, saliva composition, blood glucose, EEG activity, and body temperature will be measured. Salivary alpha-amylase will be analyse

Healthy Volunteer Participants

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Being over 18 years of age.
• Individuals with a normal Body Mass Index according to the WHO classification.
• No known food allergies or eating disorder diagnoses.
• Voluntarily agree to participate in the study and sign an informed consent form.
• Be physically and psychologically suitable for virtual reality environment and electroencephalography (EEG) recording applications.

You may not qualify if:

• History of any neurological disease (e.g., epilepsy, vertigo) that may prevent the use of virtual reality goggles
• Allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity to foods used in the experimental procedure (e.g., chocolate biscuits, pickles)
• Significant loss or impairment of vision, hearing, or sense of smell.
• Sensitivity to the use of virtual reality devices (e.g. history of cyber sickness such as nausea, dizziness, etc.)
• Use of psychiatric medication, antidepressants, neuroleptics, or medication that may affect neurological status
• History of psychological conditions that may affect the working process, such as attention deficit, anxiety disorder, or panic attacks.
• Any discomfort in the salivary glands, insufficient saliva production, or dry mouth.
• Consumption of more than 21 units of alcohol per week (as this may affect food cravings and physiological parameters).
• History or diagnosis of abnormal brain electrical activity that may affect EEG measurements.
• History of substance dependence or any mental disorder that may affect cortical activity.
• Conditions that prevent body composition analysis (BIA) measurements (e.g. use of a pacemaker, limb amputation, lymphoedema, etc.).
• The presence of any language or cognitive barrier that prevents communication.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Marmara University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Marmara University, Faculty of Health Sciences

Istanbul, Maltepe, 34854, Turkey (Türkiye)

RECRUITING

Central Study Contacts

Zehra M Çelik, PhD

CONTACT

+905327070972; zmcelik@yahoo.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Dr.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 3, 2025
• First Posted: January 6, 2026
• Study Start: April 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 25, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 30, 2026
• Last Updated: April 28, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)