High Blood Insulin Levels Lead to More Nervous System Activity in Muscles

Article title: Role of the arterial baroreflex in the sympathetic response to hyperinsulinemia in adult humans

Authors: Neil J. McMillan, Rogerio N. Soares, Jennifer L. Harper, Brian Shariffi, Alfonso Moreno-Cabañas, Timothy B. Curry, Camila Manrique-Acevedo, Jaume Padilla, Jacqueline K. Limberg

From the authors: “Using three separate protocols in humans, we observed increases in both [muscle sympathetic nervous system activity (MSNA)] and cardiac output during hyperinsulinemia, which we attributed to the baroreflex response to peripheral vasodilation induced by insulin. Results show that peripheral vasodilation induced by insulin contributes to increased MSNA during hyperinsulinemia.”

This study is highlighted as one of May’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program.