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Muscarinic M1, M3, Nicotinic,GABAA and GABAB Receptor ...

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138<br />

Discussion<br />

exacerbated by recurrent hypoglycemia. Our result is in accordance with early<br />

reports by Biessels et al., (2004) which shows alterations in circulating insulin<br />

levels <strong>and</strong> insulin signaling pathways due to diabetes <strong>and</strong> its treatment;<br />

hypoglycemia, directly affecting the brain.<br />

The profound benefits of intensive therapy, such as a decreased<br />

occurrence of neuropathy <strong>and</strong> microvascular complications reported by the<br />

Diabetes Control <strong>and</strong> Complications Trial (1993) demonstrate a clear need to<br />

improve long-term glycemic control in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.<br />

Unfortunately, this form of therapy results in more frequent episodes of severe<br />

hypoglycemia, which then lead to altered counter regulatory glycemic thresholds<br />

<strong>and</strong> hypoglycemia unawareness, provoking still more hypoglycemia. In addition,<br />

as the duration of IDDM increases, defects in the counter regulatory pathways<br />

themselves emerge, making hypoglycemia even more likely. In particular, the<br />

release of glucagon, which normally functions as a primary defense against<br />

hypoglycemia (Gerich et al., 1974) is lost in diabetic patients (Santiago et al.,<br />

1980). This plus an impairment in epinephrine release that develops later (Dagogo<br />

et al., 1993) act in concert to limit the diabetic patient's ability to prevent serious<br />

hypoglycemic events that may adversely affect brain function (Ziegler et al.,<br />

1992).<br />

SOD EXPRESSION IN BRAIN AND PANCREAS<br />

Oxidative stress has been suggested as a mechanism contributing to<br />

neuronal death. Early production of reactive species (RS) during the<br />

hypoglycemic episode has been reported. Recent investigations have suggested<br />

that oxidative stress is associated with hypoglycemic neuronal damage (Suh et al.,<br />

2008; Haces et al., 2008, 2010). The deleterious actions of diabetes <strong>and</strong> its<br />

complication; hypoglycemia, increase oxidative stress in the brain, leading to<br />

increases in neuronal vulnerability. The presence of oxidative stress during<br />

hypoglycemia has been recently suggested (Patocková et al., 2003; Singh et al.,

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