Antipsychotic (AP) medications are considered to be the gold standard treatment for psychotic disorders including schizophrenia. However, APs have also been commonly associated with serious metabolic adverse effects including weight gain and Type 2 Diabetes, with younger populations disproportionately affected. In addition, young individuals treated with these agents have also been found to be at high risk for glucose dysregulation, including higher rates of prediabetes, with significant associations found between AP use and insulin resistance. Due to the concerning prevalence of these AP metabolic effects, it becomes important to further elucidate the mechanisms underlying AP effects on glucose metabolism, which are still poorly understood. One potential underlying mechanism is insulin which has been found to regulate hepatic (liver) glucose production through insulin receptors in the brain. These insulin receptors also play a role in neuronal growth and memory, or more broadly, cognition. Preliminary data in rat models has demonstrated that the AP olanzapine (OLA) inhibits the ability of a central insulin stimulus (acting at the level of the brain) to decrease endogenous glucose production (EGP), making this mechanism a prime target to translate from rodent models to human research. Furthermore, intranasal insulin (INI) administration (an analogous central insulin stimulus) has been repeatedly associated with improved cognitive performance for verbal memory and visuospatial functions in humans. Given these findings and with the goal of translational research, the present study will investigate OLA's effects in healthy human volunteers including: (a) the ability of INI to reduce EGP during a pancreatic euglycemic clamp (PEC; a glucose metabolism and insulin procedure); and (b) the ability of INI to improve cognitive performance. More specifically, the present study hypothesizes that: 1. INI will be associated with a decrease in EGP relative to intranasal placebo (INP) as measured by the PEC. This effect will be inhibited if OLA is co-administered. 2. OLA administration will be associated with decrements in cognitive measures (i.e., visuospatial, and verbal memory) as compared to placebo (PL). Additionally, OLA co-administration will block the beneficial effects of INI on cognition previously supported by other studies. 3. INI will result in adaptive changes in neurochemical and neurohemodynamic measures as studied using MRI imaging techniques.
Age range
17 Years – 45 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Endogenous Glucose Production: Pancreatic Euglycemic Clamp Experiments
Timeframe: Visits 1-3 (12-16 weeks) for the metabolic arm