Sensory Stimulation as a Driver of Diet-induced Thermogenesis

Here, the investigators postulate sensory stimulation (i.e. the sight, smell, auditory and tactile properties, as well as the taste of food) to be drivers of diet induced thermogenesis, an insufficiently understood mechanism of body weight regulation. Research into this area to date has focused on macro-nutrient composition delivered unphysiologically (i.v. or in form of unpalatable solutions). Thereby neglecting the bulk of food-intake associated sensory stimulation and thus the contribution of the brain itself.

The investigators aim to gain insight into the role of sensory stimulation in this context by means of a cross-over proof-of concept exploratory clinical trial. Comparing 24 healthy human volunteers receiving a meal bolus with (orally) and without sensory stimulation (nasogastric-tube) by indirect calorimetry, tissue-adjacent temperature measurements and ex vivo analyses.

Inclusion criteria

• healthy volunteers of any gender
• BMI between 18-25 kg/m2
• age between 18 and 40 years

Exclusion criteria

• concomitant medication except for prescription free analgetics (paracetamol, NSAIDs) and oral contraceptives
• clinically significant concomitant disease states (e.g. renal failure, hepatic dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus),
• allergy to local anaesthetic or any of the study meal ingredients
• known or suspected non-compliance, drug or alcohol abuse
• smoker / habitual tobacco use
• habitual excessive alcohol consumption
• inability to follow the procedures of the study
• participation in another study with investigational drug within the 30 days preceding and during the present study
• previous enrolment into the current study
• enrolment of the investigator, his/her family members, employees and other dependent persons
• uncontrolled hypo- or hyperthyroidism
• pregnancy or lactation