Type 2 diabetes starts in the brain, research suggests

Posted on October 9, 2014 by DiabetesDigest.com Staff in News

A study conducted by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, suggests that the increased presence of certain molecules in the brain can be an early sign of diabetes.
The research, published in Cell Metabolism, builds on previous studies. These studies have shown that a significant increase in BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids, more prevalent among patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity) occurs in the years before the appearance of diabetes symptoms. This is because diabetic and obese patients don’t break down the molecules as effectively as they should. For years, the reason for this has eluded researchers.
However, this study, initially performed on rodents, demonstrates that our brains are supposed to signal to the liver to increase BCAA breakdown through insulin signalling. When BCAA levels are too high, therefore, the problem lies with impaired brain signalling.
Dr. Andrew C. Shin, instructor of medicine at the Icahn School, said “What’s important is that rodents with impaired insulin signalling exclusively in the brain have elevated plasma BCAA levels and impaired BCAA breakdown in the liver.
“Since disrupted brain insulin signalling may cause the early rise of BCAAs seen in persons who eventually develop diabetes, the insulin resistance that leads to …read more

Source:: News from Diabetes.co.uk

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