Arpana Gupta, PhD | UW Psychiatry Grand Rounds

Arpana Gupta, PhD | UW Psychiatry Grand Rounds

“Obese and Addicted to Food: Is the Brain or the Gut Microbiome to Blame?”

Friday April 28
WisPIC Commons Room
6001 Research Park Blvd in Madison, WI
+ Virtual Event – via WebEx

Learning Objectives:

• Investigate how novel pathways related to the brain-gut-microbiome (BGM) system may explain modulation of signals from the gut-microbiome on the brain via systemic immune activation.
• Explain how risk factors associated with socio-cultural and environmental stressors “get under the skin” and are embedded in biology
• Identify subgroup differences (e.g., race and sex) related to obesity and eating behaviors
• Model longitudinal patterns and changes across the lifespan as they relate to obesity in order to help predict risk factors leading up to the development of obesity while being able to identify prognostic markers.
• Determine changes associated with various interventions (e.g., brain-targeted such as cognitive behavioral therapy, or gut-based such as specific diets) directed at altered ingestive behaviors and obesity.

Reading List: 

• Brain scans show how different factors can influence obesity in men and women
• How can we use probiotics to treat various conditions via the brain-gut system?

About the Speaker:

I am an Associate Professor, and Co-Director of the Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center (GLMC) at UCLA. I am also the Director of the Obesity and Ingestive Behavior Research Program and Director of Neuroimaging Core within the GLMC; where I specialize in research that investigates the interactions between environmental and biological factors in shaping phenotypes associated with obesity. My current program of research, broadly defined, is based on developing a model that aims to understand the bidirectional interaction of the brain with those in the periphery (immune cells, gut microbiota-related metabolites), and the modification of these interactions by vulnerability factors (e.g., discrimination, adverse life events, sex, race, socioeconomic status) in obesity. Another main area of interest is the investigation of race and sex differences in central responses to stress, as well as the relationship between altered ingestive behaviors, obesity, anxiety and depression.

Webex Info:

Join link: https://uwmadison.webex.com/uwmadison/j.php?MTID=mfa036b2782abd126b0c6fb603d1a466e
Webinar number: 2622 024 1552
Webinar password: ANNIE (26643 from phones)

Join by phone
+1-415-655-0001 US Toll
+1-312-535-8110 United States Toll (Chicago)

Access code: 262 202 41552