Brain signals that control the pancreas to keep blood sugar steady
Official title: A novel brain-to-pancreatic islet neural circuit regulates glucose homeostasis
Funded at Lsu Pennington Biomedical Research Ctr · NIH-11403942 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying a brain cell circuit that helps keep blood sugar stable by influencing insulin and glucagon in the pancreas, with a focus on people who have brittle diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lsu Pennington Biomedical Research Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baton Rouge, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $759,598 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK142603-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11403942 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with brittle diabetes or related glucose regulation problems who could benefit from new approaches to prevent severe hypoglycemia.
✕Less likely to help
People without glucose regulation issues are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific brain-to-pancreas pathway study.
What this research studies
This project looks at how certain brain neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus respond to low glucose and communicate with the pancreas to adjust insulin and glucagon. The team will use advanced techniques like neural mapping, fiber tracking, electrical activity recording, and light- or chemically-triggered control in animal models to test how this brain-to-pancreas pathway affects blood sugar. They will study whether these brain circuits behave differently in obesity or diabetes and how they influence glucose levels under various conditions. The goal is to uncover a direct brain mechanism that could be targeted to prevent dangerous hypoglycemia in people with brittle diabetes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal a new brain-based route to help people with brittle diabetes maintain safer blood glucose levels.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work suggests brain regions can influence pancreatic activity, with this project aiming to map and manipulate the exact VgatvlVMH pathway.
Where this research is happening
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Lsu Pennington Biomedical Research Ctr
Baton Rouge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: He, Yanlin — Lsu Pennington Biomedical Research Ctr
- Study coordinator: He, Yanlin
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.