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. 2024 Dec:167:105907.
doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105907. Epub 2024 Sep 25.

Central effects of acute intranasal insulin on neuroimaging, cognitive, and behavioural outcomes: A systematic review

Aniqa Tabassum  1 , Sebastian Badulescu  2 , Evanka Singh  3 , Renee Asoro  4 , Roger S McIntyre  5 , Kayla M Teopiz  6 , Cristian-Daniel Llach  7 , Hiya Shah  8 , Rodrigo B Mansur  9
Affiliations
Free article

Central effects of acute intranasal insulin on neuroimaging, cognitive, and behavioural outcomes: A systematic review

Aniqa Tabassum et al. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2024 Dec.
Free article

Abstract

The distribution of insulin receptors throughout the brain implicates insulin in physiological functions and disease states, including cognition, appetite, mood, and metabolic disorders. Intranasally administered insulin offers a non-invasive approach for isolating and investigating brain insulin action. This systematic review synthesized the effects of acute intranasal insulin on neuroimaging, cognitive, and behavioural outcomes reported in 48 studies in adults. Age, sex, body mass index, and insulin resistance were found to moderate brain insulin action. Neuroimaging studies showed insulin affects brain activity, cerebral blood flow, and functional connectivity in regions like the hypothalamus, amygdala, and insula. Insulin also modified cognitive function, eating behaviour, and the stress response. Nonetheless, inconsistencies in study designs, dosages, and outcome measures necessitate standardized methodologies to better understand central insulin action. Taken together, insulin's ability to modify stress and fear, appetite and eating behaviour, and cognitive function in both healthy and diseased individuals highlight its potential in the therapeutic and mechanistic exploration of highly prevalent psychiatric, metabolic, and cognitive conditions like mood disorders, obesity, and Alzheimer's disease.

Keywords: Behaviour; Brain insulin; Cognition; Intranasal insulin; Neuroimaging.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Dr. Roger S. McIntyre has received research grant support from CIHR/GACD/National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Milken Institute; speaker/consultation fees from Lundbeck, Janssen, Alkermes, Neumora Therapeutics, Boehringer Ingelheim, Sage, Biogen, Mitsubishi Tanabe, Purdue, Pfizer, Otsuka, Takeda, Neurocrine, Neurawell, Sunovion, Bausch Health, Axsome, Novo Nordisk, Kris, Sanofi, Eisai, Intra-Cellular, NewBridge Pharmaceuticals, Viatris, AbbVie and Atai Life Sciences. Dr. S. Roger McIntyre is a CEO of Braxia Scientific Corp. Kayla M. Teopiz has received fees from Braxia Scientific Corp. Dr. Rodrigo B. Mansur has received research grant support from the CIHR, the PSI Foundation, and the Baszucki Brain Research Fund and an Academic Scholars Award, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto. AT, SB, ES, RA, CDL, and HS have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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