Basic study for improving a nutritional condition using mental effect of eating

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K23265
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0909:Sports sciences, physical education, health sciences, and related fields
• Research Institution: Toyo University
• Principal Investigator: Takatsuru Yusuke 東洋大学, 食環境科学部, 教授 (30446265)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 食の嗜好性 / 脳機能 / fMRI / fNIRS

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to study the relationship between food preference and brain function, we conducted experiments on fMRI and fNIRS for healthy volunteers. The sensitivity of the smell is more significant in women, and the function decreases in both sexes in age dependence. FMRI experiments show that the sex difference and age-dependent functional changes are particularly involved in the functional connectivity of the frontal medial cortex and angular gyrus. In addition, a study using fNIRS suggested that there may be differences in frontal lobe function at the time of eating depending on the living environment (whether it is with the family or alone) and the preference of the usual food (whether they like the salty taste or the mild taste). In the future, we plan to expand the number of subjects to continue the fNIRS experiment.

Free Research Field

神経生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで、生活習慣病の治療における栄養療法において、食の嗜好性は考慮されていない。特にストレスホルモンの変化を考慮したとき、嗜好性による脳機能の差違が起こることは予想できる。しかしながら、それによる全身影響までは研究されつくしているとは言えない。本研究成果の発展により、食の嗜好性と脳機能を関連を考慮した栄養指導法の開発が期待でき、それによる栄養療法実施時のQOLの向上が期待できる。