The influence of nutrient-induced gut-brain signals on our emotions and the underlying physiological basis

In addition to the provision of energy, our nutrient intake has wide-ranging effects on physiological processes. Signaling between the gut and the brain is crucial for regulation of hunger and satiety, but may also influence emotions. The mechanisms by which different types of nutrients affect our brain and emotions are incompletely understood. A better understanding of these mechanisms may have critical implications for several disorders in which an overlap between digestive and affective symptoms is found, including obesity and functional gastrointestinal disorders (e.g. irritable bowel syndrome, IBS), but also affective disorders such as depression. In this project, we aim to investigate the effects of subliminal doses of specific nutrients on emotional states as well as the hormonal and central pathways underlying these effects, by: 1. Comparing the impact of acute and sub-acute gluten administration on mood, fatigue and gastrointestinal symptoms between healthy volunteers and patients with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity and identifying the underlying mechanisms. 2. Investigating whether and how acute intragastric carbohydrate administration differentially affects susceptibility to sad emotion induction in healthy volunteers and IBS patients and identifying the underlying gut-brain signaling mechanisms.