# Effect of Insulin on Neuroplasticity and Cognitive Rehabilitation

> **NIH NIH P20** · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · 2021 · $199,002

## Abstract

There is a fundamental gap in understanding the importance of brain insulin levels in stroke recovery. This gap 
is important because of the significance of brain insulin with regard to neuroplasticity and the anti-inflammatory, 
anti-thrombotic, vasodilatory and anti-apoptotic properties of insulin, which play a vital role in recovery from brain 
injury. The long-term goal is to understand the role of comorbidities on brain health, specifically cognitive aging. 
The objective of this application is to investigate the role of reduced brain insulin and the therapeutic potential of 
intranasal insulin on long-term stroke recovery (4 months post-stroke). Insulin resistance, which is a common 
comorbidity among stroke survivors, leads to a deficiency of insulin in the brain. The central hypothesis is that 
increasing brain insulin levels will improve stroke recovery. This hypothesis is based on preliminary data 
produced in the applicant’s laboratory. The rationale for the proposed research is that brain insulin levels affect 
neuroplasticity, and intranasal insulin may offer a new therapeutic approach to improve recovery from stroke. 
This hypothesis will be tested by pursuing two specific aims: 1) Determine the impact of insulin deficiency in the 
brain on stroke recovery, and 2) Ascertain the therapeutic potential of intranasal insulin therapy on stroke 
recovery. Under Aim 1, stroke recovery (cognitive, sensorimotor and motor function) is assessed in a comorbid 
mouse model (high-fat diet) with brain insulin deficiency, and in a non-comorbid mouse model (standard diet) 
treated with intranasal insulin affibody molecules, which reduce brain insulin levels, following an ischemic stroke. 
Under the second aim, intranasal insulin therapy is implemented post-stroke to enhance rehabilitation-induced 
neuroplasticity and improve stroke recovery. The approach is innovative, because it utilizes a comorbid animal 
model of ischemic stroke, assesses long-term stroke recovery up to 4 months post-stroke, and uses intranasal 
insulin as a therapy to enhance neuroplasticity and improve stroke recovery. The proposed research is significant 
because it is expected to lead to the establishment of intranasal insulin as a potential therapy to enhance stroke 
recovery. Ultimately, the COBRE also will provide the unique opportunity to work with clinical investigators to 
translate this basic science research into the clinic.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10232067
- **Project number:** 5P20GM109040-08
- **Recipient organization:** MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
- **Principal Investigator:** Catrina Sims Robinson
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $199,002
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-06-02 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10232067

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10232067, Effect of Insulin on Neuroplasticity and Cognitive Rehabilitation (5P20GM109040-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10232067. Licensed CC0.

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