title: Is type 2 diabetes mellitus a disorder of the brain?
abstract: I propose that type 2 diabetes mellitus is due to damage to neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus or to a defect in the action or properties of insulin or insulin receptors in the brain. These neuronal abnormalities are probably secondary to a marginal deficiency of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids during the critical periods of brain growth and development. Hence, supplementation of adequate amounts of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids during the third trimester of pregnancy to 2 y postterm can prevent or postpone the development of diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: EFA Sciences LLC, 1420 Providence Highway, Norwood, MA 02062, USA. undurti@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Undurti N
authors.initials: UN
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D016207:Cytokines; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000209:etiology*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D006801:Humans; D007027:Hypothalamic Diseases / Q000150:complications; D007033:Hypothalamus, Middle; D007328:Insulin / Q000502:physiology; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000032:analysis; D013002:Somatomedins
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D007328:Insulin; D013002:Somatomedins; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D011972:Receptor, Insulin; D000109:Acetylcholine