Intranasal insulin decreases circulating cortisol concentrations during early sleep in elderly humans
Open accessAbstract
Aging is associated with increases in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity that can predispose to metabolic and cognitive impairments. We investigated in elderly and young subjects whether intranasal insulin administration to the human brain reduces early-sleep nadir concentrations of adrenocorticotropin and cortisol, that is, indicators of baseline HPA axis activity. In within-subject comparisons, intranasal insulin (160 IU) or placebo was administered to 14 elderly (mean age 70.0 years) and 30 young (23.6 years) healthy subjects before bedtime. Sleep was polysomnographically assessed and blood samples were repeatedly collected. Elderly compared with young participants displayed increased early-sleep cortisol concentrations (p < 0.04) and reductions in slow wave and REM sleep (p < 0.001). Insulin administration reduced cortisol levels between 2300 hours and 0020 hours in the elderly (p = 0.03) but not young participants (p = 0.56; p = 0.003 for interaction). Findings indicate that central nervous insulin acts as an inhibitory signal in basal HPA axis activity regulation and suggest that intranasal insulin may normalize sleep-associated stress axis activity in older age.
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IN insulin compared with placebo decreased cortisol concentrations in elderly but not young participants during the first half of the night in a sex-independent manner.
“IN insulin vs. placebo administration decreased the concentrations of cortisol in the elderly but not the young participants during the first half of the night in a sexindependent manner.”
From Intranasal insulin (2021) · cites this paper as [46]
IN insulin administration before nocturnal sleep did not induce major changes in polysomnographically assessed sleep architecture in humans.
“Although IN insulin administration before nocturnal sleep did not induce major changes in polysomnographically assessed sleep architecture in humans, 45,46”
From Intranasal insulin (2021) · cites this paper as [46]
During early sleep, cortisol concentrations were generally higher in elderly compared to young participants.
“During early sleep, which is associated with the circadian nadir of HPA axis activity, cortisol concentrations were generally higher in the elderly compared to the young participants.”
From Intranasal insulin (2021) · cites this paper as [46]
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- Authors
- Thienel, M., Wilhelm, I., Benedict, C., Born, J., & Hallschmid, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Tübingen (DE)
- University Children's Hospital Zurich (CH)
- Uppsala University (SE)
- Helmholtz Munich (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Hallschmid, Manfred
- Venue
- Neurobiology of Aging
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-06
- Volume
- 54
- Pages
- 170-174
- ISSN
- 0197-4580 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2605237778
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 1.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Neurobiology of Aging (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PuSH - Publication Server of Helmholtz Zentrum München (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- KTH Publication Database DiVA (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Site cant be reached (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB654, 01GI0925)
- Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (01GI0925, DZD e.V.; 01GI0925)
- Universität zu Lübeck
- Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF14OC0009349)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Adrenal Hormones and Disorders
- Keywords
- intranasal insulin, cortisol, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, aging, sleep, ACTH, slow-wave sleep, REM sleep
- MeSH terms
- Administration, Intranasal, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Adult, Aged, Aging, Double-Blind Method, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Insulin, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Sleep, Polysomnography, Cross-Over Studies, Young Adult
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