The effect of insulin on the central nervous system: insights into neurological complications and management of type 1 diabetes in the pediatric population

Łukasz Świątek; Jan Jeske; Miłosz Miedziaszczyk; Ilona Idasiak-Piechocka; Paulina Wais

doi:10.5114/pedm.2025.152597

eISSN: 2083-8441
ISSN: 2081-237X

Pediatric Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism

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abstract:

Review paper

The effect of insulin on the central nervous system: insights into neurological complications and management of type 1 diabetes in the pediatric population

Łukasz Świątek

^{1, 2}

,

Jan Jeske

¹

,

Miłosz Miedziaszczyk

³

,

Ilona Idasiak-Piechocka

³

,

Paulina Wais

⁴

Students’ Scientific Section of Transplantation and Kidney Diseases. Department of General and Transplant Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
Students’ Scientific Section of Vascular Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
Department of General and Transplant Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
Department of Pediatric Diabetes, Auxology and Obesity, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland

Pediatr Endocrinol Diabetes Metab 2025; 31 (2): 68-74

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/pedm.2025.152597

Online publish date: 2025/07/14

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AMA

Świątek Ł, Jeske J, Miedziaszczyk M, Idasiak-Piechocka I, Wais P. The effect of insulin on the central nervous system: insights into neurological complications and management of type 1 diabetes in the pediatric population. Pediatric Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism. 2025;31(2):68-74. doi:10.5114/pedm.2025.152597.

APA

Świątek, Ł., Jeske, J., Miedziaszczyk, M., Idasiak-Piechocka, I.,  & Wais, P. (2025). The effect of insulin on the central nervous system: insights into neurological complications and management of type 1 diabetes in the pediatric population. Pediatric Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism, 31(2), 68-74. https://doi.org/10.5114/pedm.2025.152597

Chicago

Świątek, Łukasz, Jan Jeske, Miłosz Miedziaszczyk, Ilona Idasiak-Piechocka,  and Paulina Wais. 2025. "The effect of insulin on the central nervous system: insights into neurological complications and management of type 1 diabetes in the pediatric population". Pediatric Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism 31 (2): 68-74. doi:10.5114/pedm.2025.152597.

Harvard

Świątek, Ł., Jeske, J., Miedziaszczyk, M., Idasiak-Piechocka, I.,  and Wais, P. (2025). The effect of insulin on the central nervous system: insights into neurological complications and management of type 1 diabetes in the pediatric population. Pediatric Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism, 31(2), pp.68-74. https://doi.org/10.5114/pedm.2025.152597

MLA

Świątek, Łukasz et al. "The effect of insulin on the central nervous system: insights into neurological complications and management of type 1 diabetes in the pediatric population." Pediatric Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism, vol. 31, no. 2, 2025, pp. 68-74. doi:10.5114/pedm.2025.152597.

Vancouver

Świątek Ł, Jeske J, Miedziaszczyk M, Idasiak-Piechocka I, Wais P. The effect of insulin on the central nervous system: insights into neurological complications and management of type 1 diabetes in the pediatric population. Pediatric Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism. 2025;31(2):68-74. doi:10.5114/pedm.2025.152597.

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Introduction
Insulin is primarily known for its role in glucose homeostasis regulation. Since the discovery that insulin crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in the year 1954, the influence of insulin on the central nervous system (CNS) has been under continuous research.

Aim of the study
The aim of this paper is to review the current knowledge about the effects of insulin on CNS function in the pediatric population with special attention to diabetes type 1.

Material and methods
The PubMed and Cochrane search engines were used in the data searching process.

Conclusions
Recent studies have shown that insulin has substantial glycemic and non-glycemic effects on the human brain. In pediatric populations, insulin's non-glycemic effects on CNS function are of particular interest due to the critical role of insulin in brain development, cognitive maturation, and learning. Therefore, children and adolescents with diabetes type 1 (T1DM), resulting in insulin deficiency and dysregulated glucose metabolism, require special attention.

Conclusions
While insulin therapy is essential for glycemic control in pediatric patients with T1DM, researchers suggest that insulin also has a crucial effect on the central nervous system (CNS), which may have implications for neurodevelopment and cognitive function in this group of patients.

keywords:

The effect of insulin on the central nervous system: insights into neurological complications and management of type 1 diabetes in the pediatric population

Łukasz Świątek 1, 2 , Jan Jeske 1 , Miłosz Miedziaszczyk 3 , Ilona Idasiak-Piechocka 3 , Paulina Wais 4

ADHD, ASD, CGM, insulin, T1DM

Łukasz Świątek

^{1, 2}

,

Jan Jeske

¹

,

Miłosz Miedziaszczyk

³

,

Ilona Idasiak-Piechocka

³

,

Paulina Wais

⁴