Vitamin D and the paraventricular nucleus: Relevance for type 2 diabetes

Vitamin D deficiency is linked to type 2 diabetes and we recently showed this may be through action of vitamin D in the paraventricular nuclei (PVN) in the hypothalamus of the brain. This review focuses on the known roles of the PVN in glucose control and how previously discovered actions of vitamin D in other tissues may translate to action in the PVN. Specifically, we focus on the role of insulin and inflammation in the hypothalamus and how these may be modified through vitamin D action.