The Influence of Obesity and Insulin Sensitivity on Reward Processing and Decision Making

Reward learning and decision-making processes, which operate largely outside of conscious control, shape food choices and eating behaviors. Excess adiposity is associated with differences in brain structure and functional connectivity underlying these processes, and insulin resistance, which commonly co-occurs with excess adiposity, has been linked with dopamine signaling that is crucial for these processes. However, whether and how excess adiposity and insulin resistance affect reward learning and decision-making remains poorly understood. This study will address that gap, examining the effects of excess adiposity and insulin resistance, and their interaction, on processes of reward learning and decision-making in food-specific and general contexts.

NCT Number	NCT07638059
Lead Sponsor	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Collaborators: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Conditions	Adiposity, Insulin Sensitivity/Resistance, Decision-Making, Reward Learning
Enrollment	50 participants
Start Date	2026-07-01
Primary Completion	2029-07-01 (estimated)
Study Completion	2029-07-01 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-06-10