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Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Studying the Hypothalamic Insulin Signal to Peripheral Glucose Intolerance with a Continuous Drug Infusion System into the Mouse Brain
Published on: January 4, 2018
Insulin action in the hypothalamus and dorsal vagal complex
Mona A Abraham1, Beatrice M Filippi2, Gil Myoung Kang3
1Toronto General Research Institute and Department of Medicine, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract:
Insulin resistance is a hallmark feature of type 2 diabetes and obesity. In addition to the classical view that insulin resistance in the liver, muscle and fat disrupts glucose homeostasis, studies in the past decade have illustrated that insulin resistance in the hypothalamus dysregulates hepatic glucose production and food intake, leading to type 2 diabetes and obesity. This invited review argues that in addition to the hypothalamus, insulin signalling in the dorsal vagal complex regulates hepatic glucose production and food intake. A thorough understanding of the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms of insulin action in the hypothalamus and dorsal vagal complex is necessary in order to identify therapeutic targets for obesity and type 2 diabetes.
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