title: Cerebral cortex: a target and source of insulin?
abstract: Recent results suggest that insulin is synthesised by a subpopulation of neurons in the cerebral cortex and neural progenitor cells of the hippocampus. Supplementing the slow supply of insulin to the brain by pancreatic beta cells, the insulin locally released by neurons provides a rapid means of regulating local microcircuits, effectively modulating synaptic transmission and on-demand energy homeostasis of neural networks. Modulation of insulin production by brain neurons via glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists might be useful in counteracting diabetes, obesity and neurodegenerative diseases. Replacement of lost pancreatic beta cells by autologous transplantation of insulin-producing neural progenitor cells could be a viable therapy for diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Unit, 1st Department of Internal Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: Éva A
authors.initials: ÉA
authors.lastname: Csajbók
authors.affiliation: MTA-SZTE Research Group for Cortical Microcircuits, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, Szeged, 6726, Hungary. gtamas@bio.u-szeged.hu.
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tamás
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1
keywords: Animal; Basic science; Human; Insulin action; Insulin synthesis; Rat; Review