Abstract
High-resolution molecular and imaging techniques are shedding light on the mechanisms and functional significance of the transient rise in tissue lactate that accompanies synaptic activity. Despite high energy needs, neurons have a truncated glycolytic pathway that favors antioxidation over energy production, whereas astrocytes team up with oligodendrocytes to extract glucose from the blood, mobilize glycogen, and release lactate under neuronal command. Lactate energizes neurons but also diffuses beyond the active zone and modifies the activity of neurons and astrocytes in neighboring regions. Involved in a hierarchy of processes from neurovascular coupling to memory formation, lactate has a dual role as metabolic fuel and an intercellular messenger.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 396-404 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Trends in Neurosciences |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2013 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:I thank Bruno Weber and members of my laboratory for helpful discussions. I also thank Karen Everett for critical reading of the manuscript. I apologize for articles that could not be cited because of space restrictions. My work is supported by Fondecyt grant 1100936. The Centro de Estudios Científicos (CECs) is funded by the Chilean Government through the Centers of Excellence Basal Financing Program of CONICYT.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Neuroscience