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American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Care, 4(41), p. 907-910, 2018

DOI: 10.2337/dc17-1867

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Leptin Replacement Reestablishes Brain Insulin Action in the Hypothalamus in Congenital Leptin Deficiency

This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE Human obesity is associated with impaired central insulin signaling, and in very rare cases, severe obesity can be caused by congenital leptin deficiency. In such patients, leptin replacement results in substantial weight loss and improvement in peripheral metabolism. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In a leptin-deficient patient, we investigated the impact of leptin substitution on central insulin action, as quantified by changes in neuronal activity after intranasal insulin application. This was assessed before and during the first year of metreleptin substitution. RESULTS After only 1 year, treatment with metreleptin reestablishes brain insulin sensitivity, particularly in the hypothalamus and, to a lesser degree, in the prefrontal cortex. Results are depicted in comparison with a control group. In our patient, brain activation changes were accompanied by substantial weight loss, reduced visceral adipose tissue, reduced intrahepatic lipid content, and improved whole-body insulin sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS Leptin replacement and weight loss improved homeostatic insulin action in the patient in question.