Studies of interaction between psychological state and food intake on gastrointestinal motility, splanchnic perfusion and autonomic nervous system in
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular
Abstract
Abstract
A relationship between psychological state such as stress and emotions and feeding behaviour is known to exist, and yet the physiological basis of this interaction remains incompletely understood. It appears likely that the physiological stress response systems such as the autonomic nervous system, Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) Axis and satiety hormones play an important modulatory role in this relationship. Previous research has focused on isolated GI sensory-motor responses and relied upon subjective symptom reports or investigations that require intubation or exposure to ionising radiation to assess key physiological processes involved in digestion. The primary aim of this PhD project is to validate novel computational approaches and advanced imaging techniques in both human and preclinical rodent models to measure these simultaneously and minimally invasively.
Validation of these methods would provide further insight into physiological mechanisms in health and disease; enable the stratification of patients who present with similar symptoms (e.g. dyspepsia) but different underlying pathologies (e.g. altered motility, altered accommodation, altered splanchnic circulation); provide an objective way of determining treatment response in clinical trials; and support the identification of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Nutrient and drug challenges will be used to provoke changes in appetite-related sensations and upper GI symptoms and their effect on the autonomic nervous system (using heart rate and respiratory variability) and gastrointestinal motility (using magnetic resonance imaging, MRI) in healthy human subjects. The interaction between these parameters and personality traits, body perception and emotional state will be characterised using validated questionnaires and assessments to better understand the complex interface between psychological and physiological processes. In vivo imaging of gastrointestinal transit will also be applied to rodent models of accelerated or delayed transit.
A relationship between psychological state such as stress and emotions and feeding behaviour is known to exist, and yet the physiological basis of this interaction remains incompletely understood. It appears likely that the physiological stress response systems such as the autonomic nervous system, Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) Axis and satiety hormones play an important modulatory role in this relationship. Previous research has focused on isolated GI sensory-motor responses and relied upon subjective symptom reports or investigations that require intubation or exposure to ionising radiation to assess key physiological processes involved in digestion. The primary aim of this PhD project is to validate novel computational approaches and advanced imaging techniques in both human and preclinical rodent models to measure these simultaneously and minimally invasively.
Validation of these methods would provide further insight into physiological mechanisms in health and disease; enable the stratification of patients who present with similar symptoms (e.g. dyspepsia) but different underlying pathologies (e.g. altered motility, altered accommodation, altered splanchnic circulation); provide an objective way of determining treatment response in clinical trials; and support the identification of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Nutrient and drug challenges will be used to provoke changes in appetite-related sensations and upper GI symptoms and their effect on the autonomic nervous system (using heart rate and respiratory variability) and gastrointestinal motility (using magnetic resonance imaging, MRI) in healthy human subjects. The interaction between these parameters and personality traits, body perception and emotional state will be characterised using validated questionnaires and assessments to better understand the complex interface between psychological and physiological processes. In vivo imaging of gastrointestinal transit will also be applied to rodent models of accelerated or delayed transit.
People |
ORCID iD |
Qasim Aziz (Primary Supervisor) | |
Heather Fitzke (Student) |
Publications
Patrick PS
(2020)
Radio-metal cross-linking of alginate hydrogels for non-invasive in vivo imaging.
in Biomaterials
Farmer AD
(2020)
Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation prevents the development of, and reverses, established oesophageal pain hypersensitivity.
in Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics
Hoshikawa Y
(2020)
Rumination syndrome: Assessment of vagal tone during and after meals and during diaphragmatic breathing.
in Neurogastroenterology and motility
Fitzke H. E.
(2019)
Non-invasive assessment of gastric accommodation and motility with magnetic resonance imaging: A feasibility study in healthy lean females
in NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY
Fitzke H.
(2018)
Interaction between negative mood and Intragastric fatty-acid Infusion and effect on appetite-related sensations and cardiac vagal tone (CVT) in lean subjects
in NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY
Menys A
(2017)
A magnetic resonance imaging study of gastric motor function in patients with dyspepsia associated with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-Hypermobility Type: A feasibility study.
in Neurogastroenterology and motility
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BB/M009513/1 | 30/09/2015 | 31/03/2024 | |||
1618761 | Studentship | BB/M009513/1 | 30/09/2015 | 29/09/2019 | Heather Fitzke |
Description | Early analysis found that a method previously used to induce negative emotion in healthy lean subjects were not effective. Further investigation demonstrated that greater variability exists amongst healthy lean subjects than hypothesised and that there are important differences in autonomic response to cardiovascular compared to nutrient challenges. A magnetic resonance imaging acquisition protocol and analysis pipeline was developed for assessing multiple aspects of gastrointestinal physiology - including gastric accommodation, antral motility, gas/water content and pan-enteric motility. |
Exploitation Route | The mood induction method is no longer being used for this project. Screening protocol for healthy subjects enrolled into future studies has been optimised. Funding has been secured to validate the MRI protocol in healthy subjects. |
Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | InEurope Travel Grant |
Amount | £3,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | International Brain Research Organisation (IBRO) |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | Global |
Start | 05/2016 |
End | 07/2016 |
Description | POTS Research Fund |
Amount | $125,353 (USD) |
Organisation | Dysautonomia International |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United States |
Start | 12/2019 |
Description | Pharmacological validation of a quantitative gastric magnetic resonance imaging protocol for the evaluation of post-prandial gastroduodenal sensorimotor (dys)function: A double-blind crossover study in healthy females |
Amount | £19,914 (GBP) |
Organisation | Academy of Medical Royal Colleges |
Department | Royal College of Radiologists |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2021 |
End | 11/2022 |
Description | Pump prime funding |
Amount | £5,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Radiological Research Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2018 |
End | 10/2019 |
Description | Travel Grant - UEGW |
Amount | € 750 (EUR) |
Funding ID | UEGW 2018 Ref # 70 |
Organisation | United European Gastroenterology |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | Austria |
Start | 09/2018 |
End | 10/2018 |
Description | Gastrointestinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Gut-Brain Axis Research |
Organisation | University of Leuven |
Country | Belgium |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Development of MRI protocols and analysis of gastrointestinal MRI data for study being conducted at KU Leuven |
Collaborator Contribution | Recruitment of subjects, analysis of blood samples and fMRI data |
Impact | £3,000 award from the International Brain Research Organisation to start collaboration First study due to start in November 2017 at KU Leuven and parallel study at UCL scheduled for February 2018 |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Vagal efficiency and gastric sensory motor function - assessment with Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
Organisation | Children's Hospital of Wisconsin |
Country | United States |
Sector | Hospitals |
PI Contribution | I will conduct a feasibility study in 15 adult patients in the UK and perform analysis of MRI data for a further 15 adolescent patients from the US. MRI will be used to assess gastric accommodation, emptying, contractility and gastrointestinal (GI) blood flow. Patients in the US will undergo MRI before and after treatment with a novel device for treating chronic upper GI symptoms |
Collaborator Contribution | The CHW PI is the lead applicant for the project. |
Impact | This project is in the set-up stage so no outputs currently |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | BodyHacking LIVE - Big Bang Fair 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Developed material based on PhD project and co-presented the headline stage show at the Big Bang Fair to >5,000 children, teachers and parents |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/the-big-bang-fair/stage-shows-2017/bodyhacking/ |
Description | Bright Club 10th Anniversary |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Performer in the 10th Anniversary Bright Club at UCL East |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/public-engagement/2018/03/21/bright-club-bringing-academic-comedy-to-east-lo... |
Description | Festival of Communities |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Member of the evaluation team for Queen Mary University of London's Festival of Communities |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.qmul.ac.uk/festival/ |
Description | PEEPs |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | I co-founded the Public Engagement & Education Pipeline (PEEPs) with my colleagues at the UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging (CABI). We aim to open up public engagement to more diverse audiences, develop communication and evaluation skills and draw upon our science, media, creative and education-based networks to increase the impact of our activities. In 2018 we were awarded a 'Spirit of SLMS' award in recognition of our achievements and we have been nominated for the Team Award in the UCL Provost's Awards for Public Engagement. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/school-life-medical-sciences/study/slms-education-network/spirit-slms-awards |
Description | PlaySTEM |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Recieved grant from UCL Culture's Train & Engage Fund to develop an outreach concept: "You show me your playground, I'll show you mine" . The project, known as "PlaySTEM", involved taking STEM students and early career researchers out of the university and into Three Corners adventure playground in Islington to meet a group of playworkers from the award winning Awesome CIC. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://heatherfitzke.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/playstem_summary-1.jpg |
Description | Science ShowOff - performer |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Performed in Science Show Off events at the Star of Kings and Queen Mary University of London |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017,2018 |
URL | https://scienceshowoff.wordpress.com/2017/11/17/science-showoff-special-with-500-women-scientists-lo... |
Description | Secrets of your Supermarket |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Featured in a TV programme Secrets of your Supermarket Food for their Christmas special, performing and explaining an MRI scan that had been performed on the presenter before and after a Christmas meal |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.my5.tv/secrets-of-your-supermarket-food/season-1/secrets-of-your-supermarket-food |