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Effect of Central Insulin Administration on Whole-body Insulin Sensitivity in Women

Effect of Central Insulin Administration on Whole-body Insulin Sensitivity in Women

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03929419
Enrollment
29
Registered
2019-04-26
Start date
2019-04-21
Completion date
2021-04-30
Last updated
2021-09-05

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Insulin Sensitivity

Brief summary

The human brain is an insulin sensitive organ. Brain insulin action modulates peripheral insulin sensitivity in young lean men. As a underlying mechanism, the investigators previously detected suppression of endogenous glucose production and stimulation of glucose disappearance to peripheral tissue in response to brain insulin delivery by nasal spray. Whether this holds true in young woman is unknown, since differences in brain insulin response between sexes have been reported. The investigators will address this question by combining the delivery of insulin to the brain as nasal spray with hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp experiments in natural cycling women. In the planned randomized, placebo controlled cross-over study, female participants will undergo four hyperinsulinemic euglycemic experiments with tracer dilution, two in the first phase and two in the second phase of their menstrual cycle. On one of the study days per menstrual phase, subjects will receive intranasal insulin administration, on the other placebo spray. The protocol has been successfully applied previously in men. Based on the results of this trial, the investigators calculated a required sample size of N=10 for the planned study in women. These experiments will help to better understand the role of brain insulin action in a broader sense. The results can be the basis for larger clinical trials that address the sex-specific impact of brain insulin resistance for glucose metabolism and diabetes risk.

Detailed description

Effect of central insulin administration on whole-body insulin sensitivity in women The human brain is an insulin sensitive organ. Brain insulin action modulates peripheral insulin sensitivity in young lean men. As a underlying mechanism, the investigators previously detected suppression of endogenous glucose production and stimulation of glucose disappearance to peripheral tissue in response to brain insulin delivery by nasal spray. Whether this holds true in young woman is unknown, since differences in brain insulin response between sexes have been reported. The investigators will address this question by combining the delivery of insulin to the brain as nasal spray with hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp experiments in natural cycling women. In the planned randomized, placebo controlled cross-over study, female participants will undergo four hyperinsulinemic euglycemic experiments with tracer dilution, two in the first phase and two in the second phase of their menstrual cycle. On one of the study days per menstrual phase, subjects will receive intranasal insulin administration, on the other placebo spray. The protocol has been successfully applied previously in men. Based on the results of this trial, the investigators calculated a required sample size of N=10 for the planned study in women. These experiments will help to better understand the role of brain insulin action in a broader sense. The results can be the basis for larger clinical trials that address the sex-specific impact of brain insulin resistance for glucose metabolism and diabetes risk.

Interventions

DRUGintranasal insulin

application of 160 units human insulin

nasal spray containing placebo solution

Sponsors

University Hospital Tuebingen
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* female volunteer adults * HbA1c \<6.0% * Age between 18 and 30 years * Standard routine laboratory * No underlying diseases * No medication * No hormonal contraception * Understanding of the explanations of the study and the instructions

Exclusion criteria

* Persons with limited temperature perception and / or increased temperature Sensitivity to warming of the body * Cardiovascular disease, such as manifest coronary Heart disease, heart failure greater than NYHA 2, recent myocardial infarction * People with a hearing disorder or increased sensitivity to loud Sounds * persons with claustrophobia * Minors or non-consenting subjects are also excluded * Pregnancy or breastfeeding women * Surgery less than 3 months ago * Simultaneous participation in other interventional studies * Acute illness or infection within the last 4 weeks * Neurological and psychiatric disorders * Subjects with hemoglobin Hb \<12g / dl (at screening) * Allergic diseases * Individuals with a history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in the peripheral insulin sensitivity60-90 minutes and 150-210 minutes during euglycemic clampEffect of nasal insulin versus placebo on peripheral insulin sensitivity assessed by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Correlation with autonomous nervous system activity70-80 minutes and 190-200 minutes during euglycemic clampCorrelation of the change in peripheral insulin sensitivity by central insulin action with the simultaneous change of the autonomous nervous system (measured by heart rate variability).
Differential effects dependent on female sexual hormones60-90 minutes and 150-210 minutes during euglycemic clampCorrelation of the change in peripheral insulin sensitivity by central insulin action dependent on the time point in menstrual cycle
Effect of menstrual cycle on insulin sensitivity before spray application60-90minutesWill be measured by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp
Effect of menstrual cycle on brain insulin sensitivity60-90 minutesBrain insulin sensitivity will be assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging combined with intranasal insulin administration during the follicular and the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle
Effect of menstrual cycle on processing of food cues in the brain20 minutesProcessing of food cues in the brain will be assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging during the follicular and the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle

Countries

Germany

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 10, 2026