Objective Assessment of Brain Response to Tasting High Sugar/high Fat Chocolate by RETeval Electroretinography (P08-013-19)

OBJECTIVES: Reproduce the objective assessment of brain response to tasting of high sugar/fat food as reported in 2013 when using the dilated eye/contact lens-ERG. We hypothesized that tasting a high sugar/fat food would increase the amplitude of the dopamine-mediated retinal b wave as measured by the RETeval instrument, which uses a skin sensor and no eye dilation. METHODS: Twenty three health men and women (8 M, 15 F) completed one session in which they tasted and consumed 5 gram portions of 90% chocolate and 38% chocolate (Lindt™) just prior to having S-cone b wave measured by electroretinography (ERG) using the RETeval™ (LKC, Inc). Participants also completed the BES, and had height and weight determined. Participants were grouped by change in ERG response to the chocolate (38%–90%). RESULTS: Seven individuals (30%) showed an increase in ERG b-wave in response to increasing sugar content of the chocolate. The difference in b wave response was significant between the two groups (–0.89 ± 0.18 vs 1.39 ± 0.52 (90% chocolate vs 38% chocolate, respectively mean ± SR) F = 27, P