Neurosteroid Modulation of Tonic GABAA Receptor Plasticity and its Implication in Diabetes

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Description

With 29.1 million affected, diabetes remains the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. Although diabetes occurs equally in males and females, females demonstrate a significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease as a complication. Part of this increased risk might be caused by poor treatment options for females. In particular, fasting blood sugar levels (a common diagnostic and management parameter) is more reflexive of diabetes in males than females. Women present with poorer blood sugar control and require higher insulin doses than males. We suggest these poor cardiovascular outcomes in diabetic women are because their blood sugar levels are controlled by the brain more than males. Indeed, our current, but limited, data here suggest that at least in males diabetes significantly changes brain. Since the female brain controls more of the basic functions of blood sugar levels, it is possible that the changes in diabetic males may be much larger in females. Unfortunately, we currently have no treatments for this type of problem in diabetics. Our proposal will investigate if treatments involving the brain might be better for females. Investigations into these differences are an essential step in our understanding of women’s health and diabetes in general.
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date7/1/166/30/17

Funding

  • American Heart Association: $77,000.00

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