Insulin-stimulated brain glucose uptake correlates with brain metabolites in severe obesity: A combined neuroimaging study

Eleni Rebelos, Aino Latva-Rasku, Kalle Koskensalo, Laura Pekkarinen, Ekaterina Saukko, Jukka Ihalainen, Miikka-Juhani Honka, Jouni Tuisku, Marco Bucci, Sanna Laurila, Johan Rajander, Paulina Salminen, Lauri Nummenmaa, Jacobus Fa Jansen, Ele Ferrannini, Pirjo Nuutila

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)
6 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The human brain undergoes metabolic adaptations in obesity, but the underlying mechanisms have remained largely unknown. We compared concentrations of often reported brain metabolites measured with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS, 3 T MRI) in the occipital lobe in subjects with obesity and lean controls under different metabolic conditions (fasting, insulin clamp, following weight loss). Brain glucose uptake (BGU) quantified with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET)) was also performed in a subset of subjects during clamp. In dataset A, 48 participants were studied during fasting with brain 1H-MRS, while in dataset B 21 participants underwent paired brain 1H-MRS acquisitions under fasting and clamp conditions. In dataset C 16 subjects underwent brain 18F-FDG-PET and 1H-MRS during clamp. In the fasting state, total N-acetylaspartate was lower in subjects with obesity, while brain myo-inositol increased in response to hyperinsulinemia similarly in both lean participants and subjects with obesity. During clamp, BGU correlated positively with brain glutamine/glutamate, total choline, and total creatine levels. Following weight loss, brain creatine levels were increased, whereas increases in other metabolites remained not significant. To conclude, insulin signaling and glucose metabolism are significantly coupled with several of the changes in brain metabolites that occur in obesity.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)407-418
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism
Volume44
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2024
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Insulin-stimulated brain glucose uptake correlates with brain metabolites in severe obesity: A combined neuroimaging study'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this