The Brain Can Be Targeted to Treat Type 1 Diabetes

JCI An unexpected role for the brain in the pathogenesis of diabetic ketoacidosis

The Brain Can Be Targeted to Treat Type 1 Diabetes

An analysis published today explains how leptin affects the brain and how it might be used in future therapeutics. Evidence now shows that, when insulin is insufficient, the brain plays a key role in driving DKA, according to the new analysis, based in literature and research that includes studies conducted at UW Medicine since 2011.

New Research Explores the Brain as a Potential Target for Type 1 Diabetes

More than a decade ago, a groundbreaking discovery emerged from the realm of diabetes research, revealing that diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a life-threatening acute complication associated with type 1 diabetes, could be reversed using the hormone leptin—even in the absence of insulin. This initially surprising finding has recently been revisited and expanded upon in an illuminating analysis published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, she…