Integration of sweet taste and metabolism determines carbohydrate reward

Behavioral data for manuscript "Integration of sweet taste and metabolism determines carbohydrate reward" Maria Geraldine Veldhuizen, Richard Keith Babbs, Barkha Patel, Wambura Fobbs, Nils B Kroemer, Elizabeth Garcia, Martin R. Yeomans, and Dana M Small. Summary of paper: Post-ingestive signals related to nutrient metabolism are thought to be the primary drivers of reinforcement potency of energy sources. Here, in a series of neuroimaging and indirect calorimetry human studies, we examine the relative roles of caloric load and perceived sweetness in driving metabolic, perceptual and brain responses to sugared beverages. Whereas caloric load was manipulated using the tasteless carbohydrate maltodextrin, sweetness levels were manipulated using the non-nutritive sweetener sucralose. By formulating beverages that contain different amounts of maltodextrin+sucralose, we demonstrate a non-linear association between caloric load, metabolic response and reinforcement potency, which is driven in part by the extent to which sweetness is proportional to caloric load. In particular, we show that (1) lower calorie beverages can produce greater metabolic response and condition greater brain response and liking than higher calorie beverages and (2) when sweetness is proportional to caloric load greater metabolic responses are observed. These results demonstrate a non-linear association between caloric load and reward and describe an unanticipated role for sweet taste in regulating carbohydrate metabolism, revealing a novel mechanism by which sugar-sweetened beverages influence physiological responses to carbohydrate ingestion.本数据集对应学术论文《甜味感知与代谢的整合决定碳水化合物奖赏》，作者团队包括Maria Geraldine Veldhuizen、Richard Keith Babbs、Barkha Patel、Wambura Fobbs、Nils B Kroemer、Elizabeth Garcia、Martin R. Yeomans及Dana M Small。 研究概述：学界普遍认为，与营养物质代谢相关的摄后信号是能量来源强化效能（reinforcement potency）的主要驱动因素。本研究通过一系列神经影像学（neuroimaging）与间接量热法（indirect calorimetry）人体实验，探究热量负荷（caloric load）与感知甜度在介导含糖饮料引发的代谢、感知及脑响应中的相对作用。 本研究采用无营养碳水化合物麦芽糊精（maltodextrin）操控热量负荷，以无营养甜味剂（non-nutritive sweetener）三氯蔗糖（sucralose）调节甜度水平，通过配制不同配比的麦芽糊精-三氯蔗糖混合饮料开展实验。结果显示，热量负荷、代谢响应与奖赏效能之间存在非线性关联（non-linear association），该关联部分由甜度与热量负荷的匹配程度介导。具体发现包括：(1) 低热量饮料可引发更强的代谢响应，且能诱导更显著的脑响应与更高的喜好评价；(2) 当甜度与热量负荷呈正比关系时，可观测到更强的代谢响应。 本研究证实了热量负荷与奖赏之间的非线性关联，揭示了甜味感知在调控碳水化合物代谢中此前未被认知的作用，阐明了含糖饮料（sugar-sweetened beverages）影响碳水化合物摄入后生理响应的全新机制。