Investigation of the Chronic Effect of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes on Cerebrovascular Reactivity and BOLD FMRI Response to Electrical Forepaw Stimulation

Edward S. Hui¹, Shiliang Huang², Yen-Yu Shih², Timothy Q. Duong²

Somatosensory responses to nociceptive and non-nociceptive stimuli were altered in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) of diabetic rats (first month after STZ injection) and patients. However, more evidences suggested that the central nervous system (CNS) was also involved. For instance, the evoked potential amplitude in S1 was reduced at 8 weeks of diabetes. Furthermore, a resting state fMRI, which examines neuronal connectivity, study showed impairment of the attention network to external stimuli in diabetic patientm. The goal of the current study was therefore to examine the longitudinal and chronic effect of diabetes on CNS using fMRI and CO2 challenge.