Effect of insulin excess and deficiency on norepinephrine turnover in rats

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Abstract
To examine whether insulin enhances norepinephrine (NE) turnover, an index of sympathetic nerve activity, the effects of excess insulin and streptozotocin (STZ) induced insulin deficiency were examined in Sprague-Dawley rats. Exogenous insulin caused hyperphagia and elevated (approximately 300%) urinary epinephrine excretion, but did not alter cardiac NE content or turnover. STZ-induced insulin deficiency caused hyperglycemia and hyperphagia, but also did not alter cardiac NE content or turnover. Insulin deficiency reduced hepatic NE content 18%, but did not affect NE turnover or content of kidney or spleen. These data do not support the hypothesis that insulin influences cardiac sympathetic nerve activity in rats.