The increasing numbers of newly discovered cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus, a health problem associated with life threatening complications, have increased public awareness and governmental support in the passed 5 years. This financial support finds its way both to patient management and to clinical research. Diabetes hypoglycemia is one of the most serious complication of the disease. The Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA) plays a major role in the restoration of normal glucose levels in insulin-associated hypoglycemia. Unfortunately, the axis response to hypoglycemia is impaired in diabetic patients, leading to a vicious cycle of recurrent hypoglycemia and even death.

My laboratory colleges and me are trying to study and understand the effects of diabetes and hypoglycemia on the HPA axis in rats. My specific interest is to examine whether leptin restoration in diabetic animals can improve HPA function, thus minimizing the hypoglycemia probability in diabetic patients.