title: Hypothalamic-mediated control of glucose balance in the presence and absence of insulin.
abstract: Diabetes afflicts hundreds of millions worldwide. People affected by type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM; the insulin-deficient form of diabetes) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM; the insulin-resistant form of diabetes) have significantly reduced life expectancy compared to normal individuals. This is due in part to the fact that (despite improvements) current anti-diabetic approaches are suboptimal. Indeed, severe morbidities (e.g.: cardiovascular disease, hypertension) are still too often associated with diabetes. Recent preclinical results indicate that different types of hypothalamic neurons are endowed with the ability to mediate the hyperglycemia-lowering action of the adipocyte-derived hormone leptin in an insulin-dependent and insulin-independent fashion. These results may pave the way for better anti-diabetic approaches and therefore positively impact on life expectancy of diabetic subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hypothalamic Research, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
authors.forename: Teppei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujikawa
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coppari
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000502:physiology*; D020738:Leptin / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D005947:Glucose