Valerie Darcey, Ph.D., M.S., R.D., Stadtman Tenure-Track Investigator, NIH Distinguished Scholar
Professional Experience
- Stadtman Tenure Track Investigator, NIDDK, NIH, 2024-present
- Research Fellow, NIDDK, 2022-2024
- Postdoctoral Fellow, NIDDK, 2017-2022
- Ph.D., Georgetown University, 2017
- R.D., Dietetic Intern, NIH Clinical Center, 2011
- M.S., Drexel University, 2010
- B.A., University of Pennsylvania, 2003
Current Research
The Section on Nutritional and Metabolic Neuroimaging conducts clinical trials to investigate the effects of dietary and metabolic manipulations on neurochemistry underlying behavioral control of impulses and habits. This work combines multimodal neuroimaging techniques to examine human neurochemistry with controlled feeding studies in the inpatient setting. Through studies designed with the goal of isolating causal nutritional or metabolic variables, our aim is to identify such factors that might influence the neurochemistry contributing to motivated and impulsive or habitual behavior. Of particular interest are nutritional factors which influence dopaminergic and GABAergic signaling, measured using molecular neuroimaging techniques such as positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The long-term goal is to develop and test neuroscience-informed dietary strategies to help improve adherence to behavioral interventions.
Select Publications
- Striatal dopamine tone is positively associated with body mass index in humans as determined by PET using dual dopamine type-2 receptor antagonist tracers.
- Darcey VL, Guo J, Chi M, Chung ST, Courville AB, Gallagher I, Herscovitch P, Howard R, LaNoire M, Milley L, Schick A, Stagliano M, Turner S, Urbanski N, Yang S, Yim E, Zhai N, Zhou MS, Hall KD.
- medRxiv (2023 Sep 28) Abstract/Full Text
- Dietary fat restriction affects brain reward regions in a randomized crossover trial.
- Darcey VL, Guo J, Courville AB, Gallagher I, Avery JA, Simmons WK, Ingeholm JE, Herscovitch P, Martin A, Hall KD.
- JCI Insight (2023 Jun 22) 8. Abstract/Full Text
Research in Plain Language
The brain orchestrates the behaviors that help us towards our goals but sometimes our old habits resurface and get in the way. Just like the other organs in the body though, the brain is impacted by diet, metabolism and body mass index. Can we influence the strength of our habits by changing what we eat?
My lab studies the influence of nutrition on the naturally produced chemicals in brain regions that can strengthen or control habits in the human brain. We use neuroimaging techniques including positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure levels of neurochemicals like dopamine and GABA. To identify the effects of specific nutritional factors (e.g., a single stimulus like a milkshake, or a 5-day exposure to a low-fat diet), we conduct controlled feeding experiments where study participants are admitted to the NIH Clinical Center. This area of research aims to shed light on how someone’s diet might be making it difficult to break a habit standing in the way of better health.