engleski

"Cerebral" diabetes - is it connected to diabetes mellitus?

Numerous literature data indicate that diabetes mellitus is accompanied by morphological, biochemical, electrophysiological and behavioral alterations of the central nervous system. At the biochemical level, probably the most explored ones are those of neurotransmitters, particularly monoamines. In animals with experimental diabetes, induced by betacytotoxic drugs alloxan and streptozotocin, we have found regionally specific changes of monoamine content, turnover rate, its transporters and (dopaminergic) receptors, respectively, in particular brain regions, pronounced in striatum and hypothalamus. The brain monoamine changes were not the consequence of non-specific toxic effects of betacytotoxics as similar ones were observed in brain regions of diabetic patients post mortem. Unexpectedly, we also found similar changes of monoamine content, turnover rate, its transporters and (dopaminergic) receptors, in animals that have been intracerebroventricularly (icv) treated with low, non-diabetogenic doses of alloxan and streptozotocin, and had a normal basal plasma glucose level. Regarding the glucose metabolism alterations reported to be found within the brain of streptozotocin icv treated, normoglycemic rats, and the existence of brain insulin system, the term &#8220 ; cerebral diabetes&#8221 ; has emerged in the literature, but its connection to diabetes mellitus is not clear yet. In line with these literature data, results of our experiments may suggest a possible explanation that could be related to the specific effects of betacytoxics upon the brain cells that potentially produce and/or release insulin. Furthermore, the connection between the &#8220 ; cerebral diabetes&#8221 ; and diabetes mellitus seems to be possible, as suggested by our preliminary results of altered glucose tolerance and insulin secretion following the oral glucose overload in betacytotoxic icv-treated rats that are normoglycemic at basal conditions.

diabetes mellitus; brain

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