Glucose-sensitive neural elements exist in the hypothalamus, the nucleus of the solitary tract
(NTS) and autonomic afferents from visceral organs such as liver and gastrointestinal tract.
Glucose affects neural activity through these central and peripheral chemosensors. Glucose
is generally suppressive in the liver, the NTS and the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), and
generally excitatory in the small intestine and ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH).
The hypothalamus is involved in the control of pancreatic hormone secretion through …