Verberne, Anthony JM

Korim, Willian S

Sabetghadam, Azadeh

Llewellyn-Smith, Ida J

2016-05

Adrenaline is a hormone that has profound actions on the cardiovascular system and is also a mediator of the fight-or-flight response. Adrenaline is now increasingly recognised as an important metabolic hormone that helps mobilise energy stores in the form of glucose and free fatty acids in preparation for physical activity or for recovery from hypoglycaemia. Recovery from hypoglycaemia is termed counter-regulation and involves suppression of endogenous insulin secretion, activation of glucagon secretion from pancreatic α-cells and activation of adrenaline secretion. Secretion of adrenaline is controlled by presympathetic neurons in the rostroventrolateral medulla which are, in turn, under the control of central and/or peripheral glucose-sensing neurons. Adrenaline is particularly important for counterregulation in individuals with Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes since these patients do not produce endogenous insulin and also lose their ability to secrete glucagon soon after diagnosis. Type 1 diabetic patients are therefore critically dependent on adrenaline for restoration of normoglycaemia and attenuation or loss of this response in hypoglycaemia unawareness can have serious, sometimes fatal, consequences. Understanding neural control of hypoglycaemia-induced adrenaline secretion is likely to identify new therapeutic targets for treating this potentially life-threatening condition.

British Journal of Pharmacology 2016; 173(9): 1425-1437

British Journal of Pharmacology

https://ahro.austin.org.au/austinjspui/handle/1/13744

Epinephrine

Hypoglycemia

Diabetes Mellitus

Adrenaline: insights into its metabolic roles in hypoglycaemia and diabetes

Journal Article