In the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases, microglia consume glucose to a greater extent than previously believed. The findings may serve as a new biomarker for a range of neurodegenerative disorders.
Higher glucose levels detected by a two-hour glucose test were an accurate predictor of poorer performance in tests of episodic memory ten years later.
Better glucose uptake compensates for age-related motor deterioration and extends lifespan in fruitflies.
PBDEs, common flame retardants found on household furniture, caused an increased risk of diabetes in mice only exposed to the chemicals through their mother's milk. In addition to increased glucose intolerance, researchers also noted higher levels of endocannabinoid in the livers of the offspring of mice exposed to PBDEs.
Alzheimer's disease may be driven by excessive fructose metabolism in the brain. The findings shed light on why diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, are linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's.
Researchers have uncovered a neural mechanism in female mice that shifts estrogen from playing a protective role in glucose metabolism to a disruptive one.
Alcoholic coolers that contain 10% alcohol and 25% high-fructose corn syrup increase the risk of problem drinking, a new study reports.
Artificially inducing peripheral inflammation in mice triggered the sudden onset of delirium-like cognitive dysfunction, and this was mediated by a disturbance in energy metabolism.
Researchers have identified a group of glucose-sensing neurons in the ventrolateral area of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus and discovered how they work together to prevent hypoglycemia in mice.
Women who breastfeed have a reduced risk of developing diabetes, a new study reports. In mouse models, lactation improved glucose tolerance and increased beta-cell mass three weeks post-delivery. Prolactin produced as a result of lactation induced serotonin production of beta cells. Findings suggest serotonin mediates the long-term beneficial effects of lactation of female metabolic health by increasing beta-cell proliferation and reducing oxidative stress in beta-cells.
Rats fed on a high-fat diet were more mentally exhausted following a novel object recognition test than those fed a healthier diet. Findings suggest high-fat diets not only contribute to obesity, but they can also have an impact on mental fatigue and cognitive abilities.
Sweet tasting foods don't only trigger the taste buds, they also switch on a neurological pathway that begins in the gut. In the intestines, signals of sugar ingestion travel to the brain, sparking an appetite for more sweet foods. However, this pathway only responds to sugars, not artificial sweeteners.
