Dopamine’s role in hypoglycemia
Impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH) in people with diabetes results in a syndrome termed hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure (HAAF) and the researchers wanted to identify a drug that might correct components of HAAF.
The researchers developed a rodent model of hypoglycemia associated autonomic failure (HAAF).
They demonstrate that the dopamine antagonist, metoclopramide (MET), restored normal awareness and counterregulatory responses to hypoglycemia, while the dopamine receptor agonist (bromocriptine), induced HAAF.
In addition, dopaminergic modulation of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) induced reciprocal changes in blunted counterregulatory response (CRR) to hypoglycemia with matching changes in VTA dopaminergic gene expression.
These findings identify dopamine signaling as an important mediator of HAAF and dopamine antagonism as a potential treatment strategy for HAAF.
https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-medicine/fulltext/S2666-3791(26)00127-8
