Kaidanovich-Beilin Oksana, Cha Danielle S, McIntyre Roger S
F1000 Biol Rep. 2012;4:14. doi: 10.3410/B4-14. Epub 2012 Jul 2.
Evidence supporting the concurrence of metabolic disturbances (e.g. insulin resistance, diabetes and obesity) and neuropsychiatric disorders has been demonstrated in both human and animal studies, suggesting the possibility that they have shared pathophysiological mechanisms. During the past decade, our understanding for the role of insulin in both normal and abnormal central nervous system (CNS) processes has become increasingly refined. Evidence indicates that insulin is a pleiotropic peptide, critical to neurotrophism, neuroplasticity, and neuromodulation. Moreover, the role of insulin underscores its importance in the development of several neuropsychiatric disorders, including, but not limited to, mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis and progression towards diabetes, obesity, and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. This review focuses on the insulin-mediated effects on normal and abnormal brain function and discusses why targeting insulin-related pathways in the brain may emerge as a new approach for refining treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
支持代谢紊乱（如胰岛素抵抗、糖尿病和肥胖症）与神经精神疾病并发的证据已在人体和动物研究中得到证实，这表明它们可能具有共同的病理生理机制。在过去十年中，我们对胰岛素在正常和异常中枢神经系统（CNS）过程中的作用的理解越来越精确。有证据表明，胰岛素是一种多效性肽，对神经营养、神经可塑性和神经调节至关重要。此外，胰岛素的作用突出了其在几种神经精神疾病发展中的重要性，包括但不限于与糖尿病、肥胖症以及神经退行性疾病（如阿尔茨海默病）的发病机制和进展相关的机制。本综述重点关注胰岛素对正常和异常脑功能的介导作用，并讨论为何针对大脑中与胰岛素相关的途径可能成为改善神经和精神疾病治疗的新方法。
