News & Research

    University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

The Impact of the Metabolic Syndrome on the Incidence of Neuropathy in Obese Subjects

General Research Subject: Obesity

Focus: Complications\Neuropathy, Epidemiology

Type of Grant: Junior Faculty

Project Start Date: July 1, 2011

Project End Date: June 30, 2014

Research Description

Currently there is little knowledge about the cause of neuropathy for many patients.  In fact, the only treatment for patients with neuropathy is control of high sugar levels if they have diabetes.  Interestingly, there is evolving evidence that the metabolic syndrome may increase the chance a patient has of developing neuropathy.  The metabolic syndrome is a combination of health problems that many patients with diabetes possess.  We plan to investigate which of these health problems contributes to patients developing neuropathy.  If we can determine which of these factors contributes to this common condition, then hopefully we can start to target these areas with specific medications.

Significance to diabetes:  Many patients with diabetes have the metabolic syndrome.  Since the metabolic syndrome is made up of multiple health problems that all have the potential of being treated, knowledge of which of these factors drives the development of neuropathy has profound implications for the prevention and treatment of neuropathy in these patients.  The hope is to be able to tailor therapies to each of the health problems that are related to neuropathy.  This knowledge will hopefully lead to making neuropathy, an extremely common medical problem, a far more treatable entity.

Research Profile

What area of diabetes research does your project cover? What role will this particular project play in preventing, treating and/or curing diabetes?

My project focuses on how the metabolic syndrome affects nerves.  The metabolic syndrome consists of multiple risk factors that tend to cluster together including diabetes, cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure, and triglycerides.  A large percentage of patients with the metabolic syndrome have diabetes as it is one of the main components.  As a result, if we are able to identify which components of the metabolic syndrome are driving the development of neuropathy, these results will affect many patients with diabetes.  Currently, a significant number of patients with diabetes develop neuropathy despite adequate sugar control.  Clearly, there is a need to identify which other factors are involved in the development of this disabling and painful condition.  We are hopeful that this research will lead to future clinical trials to determine if treatment of factors other than sugar levels can prevent and/or improve neuropathy.

If a person with diabetes were to ask you how your project will help them in the future, how would you respond?

We hope to identify which components of the metabolic syndrome injure nerves.  If we are able to accomplish this, then we plan to conduct trials to determine if treatment of these factors can prevent and/or improve neuropathy.  The goal is to develop treatments for neuropathy.  Currently, the only available treatment is sugar control, and this is not sufficient to prevent many patients from experiencing the problems associated with neuropathy.

Why is it important for you, personally, to become involved in diabetes research? What role will this award play in your research efforts?

I am a neuromuscular physician that sees patients with diabetes and neuropathy on a frequent basis.  I see first hand the effects of this common and painful condition.  At this time, I have little to offer these patients to improve their symptoms, which is frustrating to all of us in this field.  The relationships with the many patients with diabetes and neuropathy make this important to me on a personal level. 

This award will provide me with the opportunity to not only complete this project but also progress as a clinical researcher.  As a career development award, I hope this award is just the beginning of a long research career within this field.  I have seen the impact that my mentor has had on this field, and I hope to follow in her footsteps.  

In what direction do you see the future of diabetes research going?

I envision more treatments to prevent and/or improve neuropathy in patients with diabetes.  These same treatments may also have beneficial effects on the eye and kidney.  Sugar control is not the sole answer to the treatment of patients with diabetes.  We need to have a better understanding of the other factors that lead to many of the complications associated with this condition.  Determining that intense sugar control improved the lives of patients with diabetes was the focus of the past 20-30 years.  Now is the time to take the next step in determining how to prevent the disabling complications that are common in these patients.