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Completed

NCT Number: NCT01632280

Enhancement of Brain Circuit of Inhibitory Control in Obese Patients Undergoing Gastric Banding

In this project the investigators aim to improve eating control and weight loss outcomes in patients undergoing LAGB with an innovative brain-based intervention. Specifically, the investigators will enhance the activity of the right inferior frontal gyrus, a core region of the brain circuit of inhibitory control, using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

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Key information

Conditions

Obesity Body Weight Nutrition Disorders Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Overnutrition Overweight Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

20 year–55 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

About this study

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAGB) is a minimally invasive and reversible procedure in bariatric surgery that has a good safety record. Despite these advantages, success rates following LAGB are quite variable across individuals. Recent data suggest that complementing LAGB with interventions targeting factors along the brain-behavior spectrum could enhance weight loss results following this procedure.

The study will have the following three aims:

Aim #1: To evaluate whether enhancement of the right inferior frontal gyrus with tDCS in patients undergoing LAGB can improve inhibitory control capacity. For this aim the investigators will evaluate participants' performance in a computerized test of inhibitory control. Results from this aim will provide evidence for target engagement, and thus confirm that the brain circuit of interest was affected as a result of the intervention.

Aim #2: To examine whether enhancement of the right inferior frontal gyrus with tDCS in patients undergoing LAGB can lead to improvements in a self-reported measure of eating control (disinhibition subscale of the three-factor eating questionnaire). Results form this aim will provide evidence for an effect of the intervention on an intermediate, behavioral variable.

Aim #3: To preliminary evaluate whether enhancement of the right inferior frontal gyrus with tDCS in patients undergoing LAGB can improve postoperative weight loss outcomes. This aim will provide preliminary evidence for the clinical efficacy of the intervention over a time window period of 12 months. Weight loss at 12 months will be the primary outcome of the study.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age: 20-55 years old
  • BMI: 35-60 kg/m2
  • Planning to undergo or having undergone laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) within the previous week

Exclusion criteria

  • Unstable medical conditions including poorly controlled diabetes and hypertension
  • Pregnancy or planning pregnancy during study period
  • Personal or family history of epilepsy or other unexplained loss of consciousness
  • Current or past medical history of skin disease or damaged skin on the scalp at site of stimulation
  • Active psychiatric or neurological condition
  • Prior neurological procedure
  • Implanted pacemaker, medication pump, vagal stimulator, deep brain stimulator, TENS unit, or ventriculoperitoneal shunt
  • Intake of common medications that affect the central nervous system will be allowed if determined okay by MD

Treatment and study plan

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

Device

tDCS is a well-established, safe and noninvasive neuromodulation technique that is based on the application of a weak direct current to the scalp that flows between two electrodes-anode and cathode. Although there is substantial shunting of current in the scalp, sufficient current penetrates the brain to modify the transmembrane neuronal potential, and thus influence the level of excitability and modulate the firing rate of individual neurons.

In this study, participants will receive 10 daily sessions of tDCS (sham/real) over a period of two weeks.

Other names: Eldith Neuroconn DC Stimulator

Primary outcomes

  1. Weight Change

    Time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks after surgery, 10 days of tDCS, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months follow up

    Participants will be weighed at the indicated time points. Weight loss at 12 months will be the primary outcome of the study.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Eating Disinhibition as Measured by the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ)

    Time frame: Baseline and 12 months follow up

    Eating Disinhibition is an eating behavior trait that reflects a tendency towards overeating and eating opportunistically in an obesogenic environment. Examples include eating in response to negative affect, overeating when others are eating, not being able to resist temptations to eat, and overeating in response to the palatability of food (Bryant, King and Blundell. Obes Rev. 2008;9:409-19). Eating disinhibition was measured using the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ), which contains 16 questions for this factor. Responses are scored 0 or 1 and summed, thus eating disinhibition score ranges from 0 to 16. Higher scores denote higher levels of eating disinhibition.

  2. Change From Baseline in Inhibitory Control Over Food as Measured by the Stop Signal Reaction Task

    Time frame: 12 month follow-up vs. Baseline

    Inhibitory control over food was measured with a Stop Signal Task that was modified with the presence of distractors of two types: images of food and neutral images (control). The Stop Signal Task is a computerized task that evaluates an individual's ability to interrupt a motor response after its initiation (Logan 1994). Subjects were asked to press a response key matching the direction of an arrow, but refrain from pressing when an auditory cue ("stop signal") appeared (25% trials). The main outcome of the task is the Stop-Signal-Reaction-Time (SSRT), in milliseconds, which reflects how long it takes to inhibit a response when a stop signal appears. The SSRT is considered a laboratory measure of inhibitory control capacity. Shorter SSRT reflects more efficient inhibitory control. Here a reduction of SSRT from baseline to 12 months indicates improvement in inhibitory capacity. We provide SSRT changes for food and neutral images, reflecting specific and general effects, respectively.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Other

Collaborators

  • Boston Medical Center
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Registry information

Official study title

"Neuroband": The Effect of Perioperative Enhancement of the Brain Circuit of Inhibitory Control in Obese Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAGB)

Acronym: "Neuroband"

Important dates

Study start
2012
Primary completion
2015
Study completion
2018
First posted
Jul 2, 2012
Registry last updated
Jan 7, 2019

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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