NCT06685146

The Glucose-Independent Effects of Exogenous Glucagon on Insulin Secretion and Cognitive Function in Healthy Subjects

Investigating the Effect of Glucagon on Cognitive Function and Cerebral Glucose Metabolism in Humans: A Pilot Study

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 10 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Nicolai Jacob Wewer Albrechtsen · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 25 Years – 70 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

In this study the investigators will investigate the glucose-independent effects of exogenous glucagon on insulin secretion and cognitive function in healthy subjects. Subjects will participate in two study days. The first study day is with a 240-minute infusion of glucagon and the second study day is with an infusion of glucose (clamped to match the glucose levels measured during the glucagon infusion). During the study day, blood samples will be drawn frequently and cognitive testing will be performed. The investigators will investigate glucagon's glucose-independent effects on insulin secretion and cognitive function by comparing plasma measures of C-peptide and cognitive test scores between the glucagon study day and the glucose clamp study day.

Detailed description

Five-ten subjects with normal health will be included, and each subject will participate in two study days. Participants will arrive after an overnight fast and will be placed in a hospital bed in a semi-recumbent position. In each antecubital vein an intravenous catheter will be placed; one for administration of glucagon or glucose and one for blood sampling. The first study day will be the glucagon study day. The blood measurements of glucose from the glucagon study day will be used for clamping the glucose levels during the glucose clamp study day. Baseline blood samples will be drawn. At time 0 minutes the infusion of glucagon or glucose will be initiated. Glucagon will be infused at a rate of 10ng/kg/min. Blood glucose will be measured every five minutes for the first approximately 2.5 hours, and thereafter every 10-15 minutes. During the glucose-clamp study day the infusion rate of glucose will be adjusted continuously to match the glucose levels measured on the glucagon study day. Blood samples for the analysis of plasma glucagon, insulin, C-peptide etc. will be drawn every five minutes for the first 60 minutes, and thereafter every 15-30 minutes. After approximately three hours cognitive testing will be performed. After four hours, the infusion of either glucagon or glucose will be terminated. The final blood samples will be drawn 15 and 30 minutes after termination of the infusion.

Conditions

• Glucose Metabolism
• Insulin Secretion

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Glucagon Infusion	A 240 minutes infusion of glucagon (10 ng/kg/min)
OTHER	Glucose clamp	A 240 minutes infusion of 20 % w/v glucose. The infusion rate of glucose will be adjusted continuously to match the levels of glucose measured on the glucagon study day.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-11-12
• Primary completion: 2025-03-01
• Completion: 2025-10-01
• First posted: 2024-11-12
• Last updated: 2024-12-18

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Denmark