The influence of nutrient- and tastant induced gut-brain signals on appetite, emotions and gastrointestinal symptoms.

In addition to the provision of energy, our nutrient intake has wide-ranging effects on physiological processes. Signalling between the gut and the brain is crucial for regulation of hunger and satiety, but may also influence emotions. The mechanisms by which different types of nutrients affect our brain and emotions are incompletely understood. A better understanding of these mechanisms may have critical implications for several disorders in which an overlap between digestive and affective symptoms is found, including obesity and functional gastrointestinal disorders (e.g. irritable bowel syndrome, IBS), but also affective disorders such as depression. In this project, we aim to investigate the effects of subliminal doses of specific tastants and nutrients on emotional states as well as the hormonal and central pathways underlying these effects. Herefor we will be studying the effect of intragastric bitter tastant administration on brain activity and how this influences food intake and the rewarding aspect of food. Furthermore, we will be investigating whether and how acute intragastric carbohydrate administration differentially affects susceptibility to sad emotion induction in healthy volunteers and identifying the underlying gut-brain signalling mechanisms. Moreover, we will compare the impact of acute and sub-acute gluten administration on mood, fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms and gut microbiota between healthy volunteers and patients with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity and identifying the underlying mechanisms.