Vascular and Neural Complications in Rodent Models of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

Peripheral neuropathy affects about 50% of the diabetic population. The manifestations range from pain, numbness, paresthesia and ulceration in the extremities and it is the major cause of non-traumatic amputations. Other than good glycemic control, which is non-effective for subjects with type 2 diabetes, there is no treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. With the prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes and associated complications reaching epidemic levels, there is a critical need for finding a treatment to preserve and perhaps restore nerve function.

Studies of obese and diabetic animal models, primarily rodents, have been employed for many years to further our understanding of peripheral neuropathy and to seek an effective treatment. The traditional endpoints for diabetic neuropathy in animal and human studies have been nerve conduction velocity, nerve biopsies and quantitative sensory testing. However, translation of results from animal studies has not led to an effective treatment.

In this webinar, Dr. Mark Yorek will present vascular and neural complications in rodent models of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Specifically, he will present the characterization of peripheral neuropathy in translational animal models such as the ZDSD rat.

Attendees will learn about:

• Challenges in translational modeling of vascular and neural complications in the context of obesity and type 2 diabetes
• Rodent models of diabetes that have been used in the past to examine the development, progression, and potential treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (eg., the Zucker and Zucker Diabetic Fatty [ZDF] rats)
• Characterization of peripheral neuropathy and vascular complications in the diabetic ZDSD rat
• Neural complications such as motor and sensory deficits in diabetic ZDSD rats
• New endpoints that may improve translation of results from the bench to the bedside

Speaker

Dr. Mark Yorek, Professor of Medicine (Univ. of Iowa) and Associate Chief of Staff at the Iowa City VA

Dr. Yorek is Professor of Medicine at the University of Iowa and Associate Chief of Staff at the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He is an internally renowned scientist and has focused a significant portion of his career on understanding obesity- and diabetes-induced neural disease.  He is interested in determining the etiology of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), which has been described to be primarily due to hyperglycemia-induced metabolic defects.  Combined with the examination of motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity and sensory nerve density and function of the cornea and skin he is investigating the etiology or diabetic neuropathy and candidates for treatment.  He has published dozens of publications in prestigious journals such as the Journal of Physiology, Journal of Pharmacology, and Diabetes.  His research is funded by the NIH and by the VA Medical Center.

 Dr. Yorek received his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of North Dakota, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Iowa. 

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