Interaction of Brain and Insulin - Research Paper Example

? Physiology Research Paper Physiology Research Paper The brain has been considered to be a principal target of insulin actions among human being due to its insulin sensitive tissues; in fact, this is also attributed increasing evidence regarding insulin receptor signaling. In this case insulin receptor, signaling is expected to facilitate neuronal surviving and the regulation of food intake. There is a profound expression of insulin receptors in the brain; in fact, they have a high density in hypothalamus, hippocampus, and cerebrocortical tissues, whereby they undertake distinct functions and promote tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins (Ketterer, Tschritter, Preissl, Heni, Haring & Fritsche 2013). Therefore, this enables the engagement with downstream signaling pathways that entail insulin receptors substrate proteins and PI 3-kinase. Therefore, the response of insulin is associated with activation trend in electrical activities in the brain of human beings, which is seen through fMRI and other brain imaging studies; application of this approach involves consequence, which are modulated by insulin signaling in brain tissues in accordance with cerebrocortical activity. The fMRI and other brain imaging studies indicated that insulin overcomes cerebrocortical insulin resistance among obese participants; in fact it was ample to raise the beta activity, which was evaluated by magnetoencephalography in the process of hyperinsulinemic- euglycemic clamp. On the other hand, human insulin did not promote cortical activities among obese people; in this case insulin is considered a tool, which is acutely applied for an activation of insulin signaling cascade in the brain that is to a higher extent as human insulin. Therefore, overcoming insulin resistance, which emanates from actuate elevation of insulin concentration in the brain required understanding of physiological functions of insulin actions. In this case, this effect is identified through intranasal insulin administration on fMRI activation patterns, whereby visual stimulation is established using food pictures; this insulin modulates response, and response can lead to suggestion that there is a chance for post prandial feedback mechanism, which can regulate desire for food. This section entails a discussion regarding fMRI and other brain imaging studies of insulin resistance in the brain especially on hypothalamic and or extrahypothalamic brain regions. Therefore, this regards focus on brain sensitivity on insulin and insulin signalling, which is considered significant in regulation of feeding behaviors, and cognitive processes. In this case, insulin resistance that occurs in peripheral tissues has been associated with development of diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (Heni, Kullmann, Ketterer, Guthoff, Bayer, Staiger, Machicao Haring, Preissl, Veit & Fritsche, 2013). Nevertheless, this makes identification of insulin resistance in brain to be relatively novel. The fMRI and other brain imaging studies of insulin resistance in the brain indicates that there is a signaling chain, which results to impairment of cognitive functions and worsening of eating behaviors. In fact, these effects are evident in hypothalamic and or extrahypothalamic brain regions, which are related to appetite. On the other hand, some studies have indicated that there are environmental factors such as obesity, age, and genetic background that influence the central insulin sensitivity. Besides, identifying this sensitivity can facilitate understanding of potential functions of pathogenesis of obesity cases and T2DM. These studies are aimed at facilitating attempts of treating insulin resistance, whereby the fMRI and other brain imaging studies focuses on peripheral tissues based on Cerebral insulin resistance, which can be controlled through intranasal treatment using insulin (Ketterer, Tschritter Preissl, Heni, Haring & Fritsche, 2013). Administration of insulin has certain effects in the brain as a result of its pharmacokinetic properties. Therefore, there have been advances in the effort to understand functions of insulin in the human brain. In this case, this has led to achievement of profound knowledge associated with mechanism regarding the function of insulin. Moreover, there is need to recognize strategies on overcoming insulin resistance as the main objective in future research. From this study it is evident that appetite is controlled by the brain; in fact, this was identified through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Therefore, this involves exploring images of the brain, which assists in identifying the activities of the brain at the hypothalamic and or extrahypothalamic regions. These sections are studies before and after a meal for people with diabetes, who are considered to be “insulin resistant” (Ketterer, Tschritter Preissl, Heni, Haring & Fritsche, 2013). There are hormones produced by the body in order to regulate the sugar levels; in fact, people with resistance of insulin are subjected to increased risk of developing obesity. On the other hand, the study will involve comparing results obtained from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of a person with insulin sensitivity and another one with insulin resistance. In this case, this can provide a basis of exploring the influence of treating insulin resistance on the basis on these brain responses. Besides, this provides a basis on understanding the brains controls of feeding, which differs between people with increased risk of diabetes and obesity. Furthermore, this imaging method can offer a way of developing and accessing potential therapies that can assist in improving appetite controls, which establishment of ways through which obesity and diabetes can be prevented in the future. The fMRI studies regarding effects of insulin on the brain responsiveness to visual food cues and other cues and resting state involves combination of MRI and fMRI along with stepped hyperinsulinemic euglycemic-hypoglycemic clamp and behavioral evaluation of interest in food (Page, Seo, Belfort-DeAguiar, Lacadie, Dzuira, Naik, Amarnath, Constable, Sherwin, & Sinha, 2011). In fact, it is evident that there is a preferential activation by mild hypoglycemia to section of limbic-striatal in the brain, which is a response towards food cues, thereby resulting to increased yearning for food with high-calorie. Furthermore, substantial effects of food are detected based on euglycemic versus hypoglycemic status on both food and non-food visual stimuli. Apparently, all the section of the brain were influenced by the euglycemia relative to hypoglycemia. Besides, prefrontal cortex (PFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were significantly activated based on euglycemia, which is relative hypoglycemia (Page, Seo, Belfort-DeAguiar, Lacadie, Dzuira, Naik, Amarnath, Constable, Sherwin, & Sinha, 2011). On the other hand, there was a preferential activation of sections such as nucleus accumbens, insula, hypothalamus, thalamus, caudate, and putamen based on hypoglycemia relative to euglycemia. On the other hand, in situation, where no cues were presented such as presentation of low calorie food, the differential brain was not provoked; hence, data was not obtained. Furthermore, there was not substantial difference in the behavioral response to mild hypoglycemia in contrast with euglycemia (Page, Seo, Belfort-DeAguiar, Lacadie, Dzuira, Naik, Amarnath, Constable, Sherwin, & Sinha, 2011). Nevertheless, these findings are not attributable to effects, which were considered non-specific given that there were no differences regarding activation of the brain due to food cues. References Heni M, Kullmann S, Ketterer C, Guthoff M, Bayer M, Staiger H, Machicao F, Haring HU, Preissl H, Veit R, & Fritsche A. (2013). Differential effect of glucose ingestion on the neural processing of food stimuli in lean and overweight adults. Hum Brain Mapp. doi: 10.1002/hbm.22223. Ketterer C, Tschritter O, Preissl H, Heni M, Haring HU, & Fritsche A. (2013). Insulin sensitivity of the human brain. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 93 Suppl 1:S47-51. doi: 10.1016/S0168-8227(11)70013-4. Page, K., Seo, D., Belfort-DeAguiar, R., Lacadie, C., Dzuira, J., Naik, S., Amarnath, S., Constable, T., Sherwin, R., & Sinha, R. (2011). Circulating glucose levels modulate neural control of desire for high-calorie foods in humans. J Clin Invest. 121(10):4161–4169. Retrieved on July 24 2013 from: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/57873/pdf/render Read More