Glucose regulation is a complex process mediated by interactions between the body’s endocrine and regulatory neural circuits. Identifying specific neuronal circuits in the brain involved in glucose regulation thus presents a promising target for future therapies for metabolic disorders like diabetes and obesity. Now, a recent study published in the journal Diabetes has identified critical networks in the ventromedial nucleus (VMN) that respond to glucose levels in the blood to regulate glycemia.
Researchers have used continuous glucose monitoring and fiber photometry to study the possible role of VMN neurons in glucose homeostasis. VMN neuron activity decreased rapidly in response to increased blood glucose levels (occurring due to food intake or glucose injection). But in the absence of any intervention, rising blood glucose was associated with increasing VMN activity levels.…
