BRAIN X ENERGY X INFO

 A

• Brains are extraordinarily energy-efficient, using sparse, event-driven signaling and local metabolic recycling so that huge amounts of information can be processed with relatively little ATP.smb+1​

• Neurons outsource much of their energy management to glial cells; astrocytes and oligodendrocytes take up glucose, store it as glycogen, and provide neurons with lactate and antioxidant support.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih+1​

• Lactate is not just a waste product: activity in muscles or brain raises lactate, which fuels neurons and acts as a signal that modulates excitability and supports plasticity and memory.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih+1​

• In ketosis, beta‑hydroxybutyrate becomes a key brain fuel, improving oxidative stress handling and engaging protective ion channels that make neurons more resilient to metabolic stress.pure.amsterdamumc​

• Adenosine accumulates as ATP is used during wakefulness, promoting sleep pressure and locally damping overactive circuits to conserve energy and prevent excitotoxicity.pure.amsterdamumc​

• Overall, energy metabolism and information processing are tightly coupled across scales, with metabolites like glutamate, lactate, BHB, and adenosine acting as both fuels and signals that tune neural network function.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih+2​

1. https://smb.org.mx/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Simposia1.pdf
2. https://researchers.uss.cl/en/persons/luis-felipe-barros-olmedo/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40686252/
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23639382/
5. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=VftyRccAAAAJ
6. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/glia.23316
7. https://pure.amsterdamumc.nl/en/publications/brain-and-body-energy-metabolism-and-potential-for-treatment-of-p
8. https://researchers.uss.cl/es/persons/luis-felipe-barros-olmedo
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqJxIdcT-z8
10. https://www.neurochemistry.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Felipe-Barros-Dr.-Mary-C.-McKenna.pdf