Objective: We tested the effects of a plant-based meal on these brain regions.

Methods: A randomized crossover design was used to test the effects of two energy- and macronutrient-matched meals: a vegan (V-meal) and a conventional (M-meal) on brain activity, gastrointestinal hormones, and satiety in participants with type 2 diabetes (T2D; n=20), overweight/obese participants (O; n=20), and healthy controls (H; n=20). Brain perfusion was measured, using arterial spin labeling functional brain imaging; satiety was assessed using a visual analogue scale; and plasma concentrations of gut hormones were determined at 0 and 180 min. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons was applied. The Hedge’s g statistic was used to measure the effect size for means of paired difference between the times (180-0 min) and meal types (M-V meal) for each group.

Results:Thalamus perfusion was the highest in patients with T2Dand the lowest in overweight individuals (p=0.001). Thalamus perfusion decreased significantly after ingestion of the M-meal in men with T2D (p=0.04) and overweight men (p=0.004), and it decreased significantly after ingestion of the V-meal in healthy controls (p<0.001). The effect size was -0.41 (95% CI, -1.14 to 0.31; p=0.26) for men with diabetes; -0.72 (95% CI, -1.48 to 0.01; p=0.05) for overweight/obese men; and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.09 to 1.59; p=0.03) for men with T2D. Changes in thalamus perfusion after ingestion of both test meals correlated with changes in satiety (r= +0.68; p<0.01), fasting plasma insulin (r= +0.40; p<0.01), C-peptide (r= +0.48; p<0.01) and amylin (r= +0.55; p<0.01), and insulin secretion at 5 mmol/l (r= +0.77; p<0.05).

Conclusion: Thalamus perfusion decreased after the M-meal in men with T2D and overweight/obese men, and it decreased after the V-meal in healthy controls. The changes in thalamus perfusion were associated with changes in satiety and insulin secretion.

Disclosure

H. Kahleova: None. M. Kudlackova: None. J. Tintera: None. L. Thieme: None. J. Veleba: None. H. Malinska: None. O. Oliyarnyk: None. I. Markova: None. M. Haluzik: Advisory Panel; Self; Lilly Diabetes, Sanofi. Consultant; Self; Ethicon US, LLC. Speaker’s Bureau; Self; AstraZeneca, Mundipharma International, Novartis AG, Novo Nordisk A/S. R. Pavlovicova: None. A. Tura: None. T. Pelikanova: None.

Funding

Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic (AZV15-27338A, IN00023001)

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