Hedonic Perception and Brain Activity Response to Meal

Hedonic Perception and Brain Activity Response to Meal in Health and Functional Dyspepsia

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between brain activity and the perception of subjective hedonic sensations in response to a meal using functional MRI.

Functional MRI brain imaging will be performed in patients with functional dyspepsia and healthy controls in basal conditions and after a palatable test meal. During the study, the cognitive response and the hedonic dimension will be measured using 10 score scales.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age between 18 and 80 yrs
2. Body mass index between 18-30 Kg/m2
3. Right-handed

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Subjects with clinical history of eating-disorders
2. Subjects with clinical history of significant head-trauma
3. Subjects with known serious illness: clinically significant cardiac, vascular, liver, pulmonary, or psychiatric disorders (as evaluated by the Investigator).
4. Subjects with a known history of alcohol or drug abuse in the previous 6 months.
5. Subjects using medications with SNS effects that cannot be discontinued, such as: antidepressants, pregabalin, gabapentin.
6. Women that are pregnant or that are breast-feeding.
7. Claustrophobia