Exact role of astrocytes and lactate in brain energy metabolism

Determine the exact role of astrocytes and lactate in brain energy metabolism by quantifying their respective contributions to metabolic pathways and energy supply during neuronal activity.

Background

The chapter reviews competing models of brain energy metabolism that incorporate astrocyte–neuron interactions, highlighting disagreements about how glucose and lactate are utilized and shuttled between cell types. Despite advances in measurement and modeling, consensus has not been reached.

This unresolved issue underpins the broader debate over lactate shuttling mechanisms (ANLS vs NALS) and affects interpretations of metabolic data across physiological and pathological conditions.

References

Despite technological advances, the exact role of astrocytes and lactate in brain energy metabolism is still unresolved.

— Computational models of astrocyte function at glutamatergic synapses (2404.13345 - Lenk et al., 20 Apr 2024) in Section 5 (Metabolism), opening paragraph