Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 25, 2026
08:32
Studying the Hypothalamic Insulin Signal to Peripheral Glucose Intolerance with a Continuous Drug Infusion System into the Mouse Brain
Published on: January 4, 2018
10.8K
Insulin resistance and hippocampal dysfunction: Disentangling peripheral and brain causes from consequences
Claudia A Grillo1, Jennifer L Woodruff1, Victoria A Macht1
1University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, & Neuroscience, Columbia, SC, USA; WJB Dorn VA Medical Center, Columbia, SC 29209, USA.
Experimental Neurology
|April 28, 2019
Summary
Central nervous system (CNS) insulin resistance, common in type 2 diabetes and obesity, impairs neuroplasticity and cognitive function. Targeting brain insulin activity may reverse cognitive decline.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Metabolic Disorders
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Insulin regulates metabolic homeostasis in the periphery and CNS neuroplasticity.
- Insulin resistance in both periphery and CNS is linked to type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and obesity.
- CNS insulin resistance causes neuroplasticity deficits, cognitive decline, and neuropsychiatric risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- Review neuroplasticity deficits in T2DM and obesity.
- Discuss causes and consequences of CNS insulin resistance.
- Focus on hippocampal neuroplasticity impacts.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of clinical and preclinical studies.
- Analysis of CNS insulin resistance mechanisms.
- Examination of hippocampal-specific insulin resistance effects.
Main Results:
- T2DM and obesity are associated with neuroplasticity deficits.
- CNS insulin resistance impacts cognitive function and increases neuropsychiatric disorder risk.
- Hippocampal insulin resistance can impair neuroplasticity independently of peripheral insulin resistance.
Conclusions:
- CNS insulin resistance contributes to cognitive decline in T2DM and obesity.
- Restoring brain insulin activity is a potential therapeutic strategy.
- Targeting brain insulin may ameliorate cognitive deficits in CNS insulin resistance conditions.
Related Concept Videos
01:08Timing and Consequences on Behavior
371
In operant conditioning, the timing of reinforcement is crucial. For animals like rats and cats, immediate reinforcement (within a few seconds) is much more effective than delayed reinforcement. For example, a food reward for a rat needs to follow within 30 seconds of pressing a bar to be effective.
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant...
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant...
371
01:05Insulin Secretory Vesicles
6.5K
Insulin secretory vesicles release insulin to stimulate blood glucose uptake and regulate carbohydrate metabolism. When the blood glucose levels increase, glucose enters the pancreatic β-islet cells through glucose transporters. Once inside, glucose is metabolized through glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and the electron transport chain, producing ATP. This increase in ATP concentration closes ATP-sensitive potassium channels, leading to depolarization of the membrane and the opening of...
6.5K
01:22Resistivity
4.4K
When a voltage is applied to a conductor, an electrical field is generated, and charges in the conductor feel the force due to the electrical field. The current density that results depends on the electrical field and the properties of the material. In some materials, including metals at a given temperature, the current density is approximately proportional to the electrical field. In these cases, the current density can be modeled as:
4.4K
01:19Resistance
5.7K
When a current moves through any conductor, the conductor causes some level of difficulty for the current to flow. The measure of that difficulty is known as the resistance of the material and is represented by R. Every material has its own resistance. In the case of conductors, heat is emitted whenever a current passes through them. Resistance depends on the resistivity of the material. Resistivity is a characteristic of the material used to fabricate electrical components, whereas the...
5.7K
01:28Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways
2.9K
Insulin action is mediated through a receptor tyrosine kinase, akin to the IGF-1 receptor. The number of receptors per cell varies significantly, from 40 on erythrocytes to 300,000 on adipocytes and hepatocytes. The insulin receptor consists of linked α/β subunit dimers, forming a heterotetramer glycoprotein with two extracellular α subunits and two β subunits spanning the membrane. The α subunits inhibit the inherent tyrosine kinase activity of the β subunits, but...
2.9K
01:27Insulin Formulations: Types and Delivery
682
Insulin preparations are categorized by their duration of action into short-acting and long-acting types. Two strategies are used to modify insulin's absorption and pharmacokinetic profile: slowing the absorption post-subcutaneous injection, or altering human insulin's amino acid sequence or protein structure. These changes retain the insulin's ability to bind to the insulin receptor, but alter its behavior in solution or after injection.
Short-acting insulins are divided into...
Short-acting insulins are divided into...
682