Autonomic dysfunction, diabetes and metabolic syndrome

Figure 1. Relationships among autonomic nervous system, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Autonomic neuropathy is a well‐known chronic complication of diabetes mellitus and might precede the development of either type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Genetic and acquired etiologies are associated with autonomic dysfunction, and either parasympathetic dysfunction or sympathetic hyperactivity could potentially lead to type 2 diabetes through a decrease in insulin secretory capacity or to metabolic syndrome through an increase in insulin resistance. Arrows show the degree of the associations, and the thicker the arrow, the stronger the evidence of association. Broken arrows denote the weakest associations.