Overeating Impairs Brain Insulin Function, a Mechanism That Can Lead to Diabetes and Obesity, Mount Sinai School of Medicine Study

New research from Mount Sinai School of Medicine sheds light on how overeating can cause a malfunction in brain insulin signaling, and lead to obesity and diabetes. Christoph Buettner, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease) and his research team found that overeating impairs the ability of brain insulin to suppress the breakdown of fat in adipose tissue. In previous research Dr. Buettner’s team established that brain insulin is what suppresses lipolysis, a process during which triglycerides in fat tissue are broken down and fatty acids are released. When lipolysis is unrestrained, fatty acid levels are elevated, which can initiate and worsen obesity and type 2 diabetes. The current study is published online in The Journal of Biological Chemistry. The first study was published in the February 2, 2011 issue of Cell Metabolism.

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