A potential confound of using db/db mice is that AIS shortening could be a byproduct of the db/db genetic model, and not the development of diabetes, as they are leptin receptor-deficient (Chen et al., 1996) and leptin signaling is involved in the neuronal and glial development of mouse embryos (Udagawa et al., 2006). The gene discussed is LEPR; the disease is diabetes mellitus.