Central and Peripheral Energy Regulation (CAPER)

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Pancreatic dopamine signalling and striatal activation in response to glucose in health and mental disorders

• IRAS ID

  275528

• Contact name

  Oliver Howes

• Contact email

  oliver.howes@lms.mrc.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Joint Research Compliance Office, Imperial College London

• Duration of Study in the UK

  5 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Alterations in glucose metabolism and dopamine signalling outside the brain have been proposed in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia but have yet to be demonstrated in vivo in humans. We propose to use imaging of the brain and pancreas to assess for differences in energy regulation between healthy controls and patients with schizophrenia. The study will employ Positron Emission Tomography (PET) to image dopamine signalling within the pancreas, using [11C]-(+)-propylhexahydronaphthooxazinol ([11C]PHNO), a radiotracer that binds to D2 and D3 dopamine receptors. It will employ functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess brain activity, specifically striatal activation, when exposed to food and non-food cues. Differences in pancreatic dopamine signalling and striatal functional activation in patients and controls will be assessed before and after a glucose challenge.

• REC name

  West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  21/WM/0014

• Date of REC Opinion

  2 Mar 2021

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion