In order to view this page properly, you must have javascript and style sheets enabled in your browser. Make sure that Enable Javascript and Enable Style Sheets are checked. Press Reload to reload this page.
Central dysfunction is well documented in obesity and diabetes.
However, little is known about the way that the brain actually senses glucose. There are neurons in the brain which change their firing rate in response to changes in extracellular glucose levels. It is hypothesized that these neurons may be involved in the regulation of food intake, body weight and glucose homeostasis. However, the majority of studies on these glucose sensing neurons have been performed using extracellular glucose levels which are well outside the physiologic range. This raises considerable concern about the physiologic relevance of these neurons.