Postprandial Glucagon Action in the Human Brain
Authors' conclusion
Our findings demonstrate postprandial effects of glucagon in metabolically relevant human brain areas.
Study context
- Population
- Volunteers undergoing oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) with functional MRI at fasting, 30 and 120 min post glucose load
- Participants
- 30 volunteers
- Comparison
- Low-dose glucagon infusion during OGTT in participants with suppressed glucagon vs participants with endogenous rising glucagon
- Glucagon infusionn = 14
- Endogenous rising glucagonn = 7reference
- Outcome
- Postprandial brain responsivity
Methodological detailsOGTT combined with functional MRI, low-dose glucagon infusion
- OGTT combined with functional MRI
- Low-dose glucagon infusion
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Experimentally elevating glucagon during OGTT in individuals with physiological glucagon suppression significantly increased postprandial brain responsivity in the hippocampal gyrus, hypothalamus and ventral striatum
- Most postprandial brain responsiveness during glucagon infusion was directionally consistent with findings in persons with endogenously rising glucagon
- Postprandial brain response correlated with the rise in glucagon, regardless of exogenous or endogenous source
Further findings
Plasma glucose, insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion during OGTT
- Low-dose glucagon infusion did not elevate plasma glucose; no changes in insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion
Glucagon trajectory during OGTT · 0-150 min
- Overall glucagon trajectory not significantly different over 0-150 min; groups differed at key post-challenge timepoints and in integrated glucagon exposure
Original publication
Postprandial Glucagon Action in the Human Brain. Diabetes Obes Metab. Published 22 April 2026. doi:10.
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