Taste response to sweetness in frontotemporal lobar degeneration measured by taste-evoked brain signals
Single-centre Descriptive Study of Taste in Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Through the Analysis of Taste Evoked Potentials
We are testing how people with frontotemporal lobar degeneration respond to a sweet solution by recording taste-evoked brain signals.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 20 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dijon Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Dijon) |
| Trial ID | NCT07110207 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
The FRONTAL-PEG protocol records taste-evoked potentials (TEPs) while delivering a controlled sucrose solution to measure cortical responses to sweetness. Participants with a clinical diagnosis of frontotemporal lobar degeneration will also undergo cognitive, nutritional, and blood assessments and standard taste tests. Key eligibility checks include fasting, BMI limits, and cognitive screening, and the protocol excludes diabetes, heavy smoking, pacemaker presence, recent COVID-19, pregnancy, and medications that alter taste. Measured TEPs will be compared to expected responses to explore whether altered gustatory signaling may relate to the overeating and sweet preference often seen in FTLD.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults with a diagnosis of established or probable FTLD who can give informed consent, have BMI < 30, meet cognitive cutoffs (MMSE ≥ 15 and MoCA ≥ 10), are not diabetic, are not heavy smokers, and can fast for at least two hours are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with severe cognitive impairment (MMSE < 15 or MoCA < 10), diabetes, pacemakers, pregnancy or breastfeeding, recent COVID-19, heavy smoking, or taking medications that affect taste are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help explain why people with FTLD overeat or crave sweets and guide targeted dietary or sensory interventions.
How similar studies have performed: Altered smell and taste have been reported in FTLD and other dementias, but applying taste-evoked potentials to measure sucrose response in FTLD is relatively novel with limited prior data.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Person who has given their free and informed consent * Person of legal age * Fasting \> 2 hours before PEG measurement * Body Mass Index (BMI) \< 30 kg/m² (according to medical record data) * DLFT: diagnostic criteria for established or probable DLFT Exclusion Criteria: * Persons not affiliated with or not covered by a social security scheme * Persons subject to legal protection measures (guardianship, trusteeship) * Persons subject to judicial protection measures * Pregnant women, women in labour or breastfeeding women * MMSE score \< 15 and/or MoCA score \< 10 * Known COVID-19 infection within 6 months prior to inclusion * Active smokers (\> 4 cigarettes per day on a regular basis) * Subject with a pacemaker (contraindication for bioelectrical impedance analysis) * Subject with diabetes (type 1 or type 2) * Taking medication (during the study) that interferes with taste
Where this trial is running
Dijon
- CHU Dijon Bourgogne — Dijon, France (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Agnès JACQUIN-PIQUES
- Email: agnes.jacquin-piques@chu-dijon.fr
- Phone: 03 80 29 59 02
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.