Abstract
To investigate the effects of subcutaneous detemir on glucose flux, lipid metabolism and brain function, twelve people with type 1 diabetes received in random order 0.5Units/kgBW detemir or NPH insulin. Glucose concentration was clamped at 5mmol/L then increased to 10mmol/L. Glucose production rate (glucose Ra), glucose uptake (glucose Rd) and glycerol production (glycerol Ra) were measured with a constant iv infusion of [6,6(2) H2 ]glucose and [(2) H5 ]glycerol. Electroencephalography direct (DC) and alternating (AC) current potentials were measured. While detemir induced comparable effects on glucose Ra, glucose Rd and glycerol Ra during euglycaemia, compared with NPH, it triggered a distinct negative shift in DC-potentials, with significant treatment effect in frontal cerebrocortical channels (p<0.001). AC spectral power showed significant differences in theta and alpha frequencies during euglycaemia (p=0.03). Subcutaneous detemir exerts different effects on brain function when compared with NPH in people with type 1 diabetes.This may be an important mechanism behind the limitation of weight gain with detemir.