Hunger hormone could spark motivation, study suggests

NCT ID NCT05318924

First seen Jan 11, 2026 · Last updated May 08, 2026 · Updated 18 times

Summary

This study looked at how ghrelin, a hormone released when you're hungry, affects brain chemicals linked to motivation. Researchers gave ghrelin or a saltwater placebo to 26 healthy adults and people with depression, then used brain scans to measure dopamine activity and motivation to work for rewards. The goal was to understand if boosting ghrelin could help treat low motivation in depression.

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Department of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen

    Tübingen, Baden-Wurttemberg, 72076, Germany

Conditions

Explore the condition pages connected to this study.