Neuron-astrocyte interactions in the regulation of brain energy metabolism: a focus on NMR spectroscopy

Carole Escartin (1) , Julien Valette (1) , Vincent Lebon (1) , Gilles Bonvento (1)

1 LMN - Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives - UMR 9199

An adequate and timely production of ATP by brain cells is of cardinal importance to support the major energetic cost of the rapid processing of information via synaptic and action potentials. Recently, evidence has been accumulated to support the view that the regulation of brain energy metabolism is under the control of an intimate dialogue between astrocytes and neurons. $In\ vitro$ studies on cultured astrocytes and $in\ vivo$ studies on rodents have provided evidence that glutamate and Na$^+$ uptake in astrocytes is a key triggering signal regulating glucose use in the brain. With the advent of NMR spectroscopy, it has been possible to provide experimental evidence to show that energy consumption is mainly devoted to glutamatergic neurotransmission and that glutamate-glutamine cycling is coupled in a $\sim$1 : 1 molar stoichiometry to glucose oxidation, at least in the cerebral cortex. This improved understanding of neuron-astrocyte metabolic interactions offers the potential for developing novel therapeutic strategies for many neurological disorders that include a metabolic deficit.

Keywords: brain imaging; glia; glucose; glutamate transport; neurodegenerative diseases; position emission tomography

Domains: Neurons and Cognition [q-bio.NC]

Carole Escartin, Julien Valette, Vincent Lebon, Gilles Bonvento. Neuron-astrocyte interactions in the regulation of brain energy metabolism: a focus on NMR spectroscopy. Journal of Neurochemistry, 2006, 99 (2), pp.393-401. ⟨10.1111/j.1471-4159.2006.04083.x⟩. ⟨cea-02290636⟩