{"id":5695,"date":"2020-10-15T11:17:36","date_gmt":"2020-10-15T05:47:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mymedicplus.com\/news\/?p=5695"},"modified":"2022-03-12T14:58:20","modified_gmt":"2022-03-12T09:28:20","slug":"study-reveals-the-role-of-our-second-brain-in-diabetes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedicplus.com\/blog\/study-reveals-the-role-of-our-second-brain-in-diabetes\/","title":{"rendered":"Study reveals the role of our \u2018second brain\u2019 in diabetes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Source – https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/<\/p>\n

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Researchers have uncovered new clues to the mystery of how the gut\u2019s nervous system affects glucose metabolism in the rest of the body. Their findings could lead to new treatments for type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n

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Type 2 diabetes causes the body\u2019s cells to become less sensitive to signals from insulin, the hormone responsible for regulating levels of glucose in the blood.<\/p>\n

This low sensitivity is called insulin resistance, and it keeps the cells from absorbing the extra glucose that enters the bloodstream after a meal.<\/p>\n

Over time, high concentrations of glucose in the blood damage tissues all over the body, causing complications such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.<\/p>\n

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that more than\u00a030 million\u00a0people in the United States have type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n

Changes to the diet, exercise, and other aspects of life can improve symptoms and even reverse the condition in some people. Drugs are also available to treat type 2 diabetes, but they can cause side effects such as nausea and diarrhea.<\/p>\n

Another drawback to some antidiabetic drugs is that they have to be injected.<\/p>\n

Discovering oral treatments that are not only effective but also free of side effects is therefore a priority for diabetes researchers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now, a group of scientists, many affiliated with the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, or INSERM, in Toulouse, believe that they are a step closer to developing such a treatment. They have published their findings in the journal\u00a0Gut<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/a>Friendly bacteria<\/div>\n

This latest research builds on\u00a0previous work\u00a0suggesting that fat, or lipid, molecules produced by \u201cfriendly\u201d gut bacteria can improve blood glucose metabolism.<\/p>\n

These lipids are thought to influence the gut-brain axis \u2014 the vital two-way communication between the brain and the gut\u2019s highly developed nervous system, also known as the enteric nervous system or \u201csecond brain.\u201d<\/p>\n

In type 2 diabetes, communication between the gut and brain appears to break down. As a result, after a meal, the brain fails to send signals to the liver, muscles, and fat tissue telling them to absorb more glucose from the bloodstream. This, in turn, leads to insulin resistance.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Normally the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine, signals to the brain, which involves a relaxation of the smooth muscles in its lining. In individuals with type 2 diabetes, however, these muscles are permanently contracted, or hypercontractile, so the signal is never sent.<\/p>\n

The researchers believe that friendly gut bacteria are the key to reversing hypercontractility and restoring healthy glucose metabolism.<\/p>\n

Nutrients that feed friendly bacteria are called prebiotics. In particular, carbohydrates called fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are known to promote the growth of bacteria that improve glucose metabolism through the production of various lipids.<\/p>\n

However, the identity of these lipids has remained unknown until now.<\/p>\n

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