A recent study conducted by researchers at ETH Zürich delves into the intricate relationship between blood glucose levels and the brain’s response. Published in Nature Neuroscience, the study focuses on orexin neurons, a specific type of neuron, and their role in tracking the dynamics of blood glucose levels.
Denis Burdakov, a co-author of the study, explained to Medical Xpress the significance of identifying glucose-sensing neurons, especially in light of the diabesity epidemic. Burdakov’s research, spanning from 2005 to 2011, contributed to understanding glucose sensing in orexin neurons, which produce the neurotransmitter orexin/hypocretin.
Orexin/hypocretin plays a crucial role in regulating physiological processes such as arousal, wakefulness, and appetite. While these neurons are primarily located in the hypothalamus, they extend throughout the central nervous system.
Burdakov emphasized the essential role of orexin neurons in maintaining consciousness, highlighting their importance in conditions like narcolepsy. Previous experiments conducted on isolated cells provided valuable insights, but their relevance to living organisms remained uncertain.
The recent study aimed to bridge this gap by investigating how orexin-producing cells in living animals respond to changes in blood glucose levels. By implanting electrochemical glucose sensors into arteries and observing orexin neuron activity in real-time, the researchers uncovered intriguing patterns.
They observed that orexin neurons responded most significantly during fluctuations in blood glucose levels, particularly during their rise and fall. Interestingly, these neurons seemed less sensitive to absolute glucose levels but were highly attuned to the rate of change.
This finding suggests that orexin neurons may play a crucial role in monitoring the temporal features of blood glucose levels. It sheds new light on how the brain perceives and responds to dynamic changes in glucose concentrations over time.
As reported by Medical Xpress, Burdakov underscored the importance of this discovery, not only for understanding brain function but also for its potential applications in controlling brain activity through dietary interventions. The study’s findings may pave the way for future research focusing on orexin neurons and their impact on cognitive and emotional processes.