Central Insulin Administration Improves Odor-Cued Reactivation of Spatial Memory in Young Men
Abstract
CONTEXT: Insulin receptors are ubiquitously found in the human brain, comprising the olfactory bulb, essential for odor processing, and the hippocampus, important for spatial memory processing. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed at examining if intranasal insulin, which is known to transiently increase brain insulin levels in humans, would improve odor-cued reactivation of spatial memory in young men. DESIGN: We applied a double-blind, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced within-subject design. SETTING: The study was conducted at the research unit of a university hospital. Interventions/Participants/Main Outcome Measures: Following intranasal administration of either insulin (40 I.U.) or placebo, male subjects (n = 18) were exposed to eight odors. During each odor exposure, a green-colored field was presented on a 17-in. computer screen. During immediate recall (comprising 3 runs), the participants were re-exposed to each odor cue, and were asked to select the corresponding field (with visual feedback after each response). The delayed recall was scheduled ∼10 min later (without feedback). To test if insulin's putative effect on odor-place memory would be domain-specific, participants also performed a separate place and odor recognition task. RESULTS: Intranasal insulin improved the delayed but not immediate odor-cued recall of spatial memory. This effect was independent of odor type and in the absence of systemic side effects (eg, fasting plasma glucose levels remained unaltered). Place and odor recognition were unaffected by the insulin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that acute intranasal insulin improves odor-cued reactivation of spatial memory in young men.
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In acute paradigms, IN insulin (40 IU) vs placebo enhances odour-cued recall of spatial memory in male participants.
“enhancing effects of IN insulin (40 IU) vs. placebo on the odoor-cued recall of spatial memory were found in male participants 72”
From Intranasal insulin (2021) · cites this paper as [72]
IN insulin-induced improvements in odour-cued memory recall are not mediated via enhanced olfaction.
“These findings suggest the contribution of local effects on the olfactory epithelium and indicate that IN insulin-induced improvements (rather than impairments) in odour-cued memory recall72 are not mediated via enhanced olfaction.”
From Intranasal insulin (2021) · cites this paper as [72]
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- Authors
- Brünner, Y. F., Kofoet, A., Benedict, C., & Freiherr, J.
- Affiliations
- Uppsala University (SE)
- Universitätsklinikum Aachen (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Brünner, Yvonne F.
- Venue
- The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
- Publisher
- The Endocrine Society
- Published
- 2015-01
- Volume
- 100
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 212-219
- ISSN
- 0021-972X (ISSN-L)
- 1945-7197
- OpenAlex
- W1988426219
- Cited by
- 68
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 6
- FWCI
- 3.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Publikationsdatenbank der Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft) (submittedVersion)
- Fraunhofer-Publica (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft) (submittedVersion)
- RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF14OC0009349)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Keywords
- intranasal insulin, spatial memory, memory reactivation, olfactory bulb, hippocampus, brain insulin, odor recognition, delayed recall
- MeSH terms
- Administration, Intranasal, Adult, Cues, Double-Blind Method, Humans, Insulin, Male, Odorants, Photic Stimulation, Mental Recall, Smell, Young Adult, Spatial Memory
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