Glucose Metabolism In The Brain

Regulation of glucose at the biochemical level affects every area of the brain, and has impact from cellular to behavioral brain function. It plays an important role in diseases such as diabetes, stroke, schizophrenia and drug abuse as well as in normal and dysfunctional memory and cognition. This volume represents a thorough examination of all the major issues that are relevant to glucose metabolism by brain cells in relation to disease, combining basic research and clinical findings in a single, indispensable reference. Serves as an essential reference on glucose metabolism in the brain Presents authoritative accounts by leading researchers in the field Includes thorough reviews with provocative sections on future directions

An essential reference for any laboratory working in the analytical fluorescence glucose sensing field. The increasing importance of these techniques is typified in one emerging area by developing non-invasive and continuous approaches for physiological glucose monitoring. This volume incorporates analytical fluorescence-based glucose sensing reviews, specialized enough to be attractive to professional researchers, yet appealing to a wider audience of scientists in related disciplines of fluorescence.

Brain Energy Metabolism addresses its challenging subject by presenting diverse technologies allowing for the investigation of brain energy metabolism on different levels of complexity. Model systems are discussed, starting from the reductionist approach like primary cell cultures which allow assessing of the properties and functions of a single brain cell type with many different types of analysis, however, at the expense of neglecting the interaction between cell types in the brain. On the other end, analysis in animals and humans in vivo is discussed, maintaining the full complexity of the tissue and the organism but making high demands on the methods of analysis. Written for the popular Neuromethods series, chapters include the kind of detailed description and key implementation advice that aims to support reproducible results in the lab. Meticulous and authoritative, Brain Energy Metabolism provides an ideal guide for researchers interested in brain energy metabolism with the hope of stimulating more research in this exciting and very important field.

The mammalian central nervous system depends almost - clusively on glucose as its major energy source. In addition, g- cose participates in other cerebral metabolic functions including the biosynthesis of neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine and the amino acids. This volume of Neuromethods assembles currently available methods for the study of cerebral glucose and energy metabolism in vitro and in mm. In the first chapter, Lust et al. describe the various methods available for the appropriate fixation of brain tissue necessary for the study of cerebral energy metabolism. Different fixation methods are compared, and some concerns raised by the USDHHS in their guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals are addressed. Specific fixation methods pertinent to the various measurements are also covered in other chapters. In vitro p- parations have, despite certain limitations, been found to be useful in the study of brain metabolism, since the biochemical envir- ment is amenable to rapid, controlled manipulation. The chapter by Lai and Clark describes methods for the isolation and characterization of metabolically active preparations of synaptic and non-synaptic mitochondria from brain, and studies of - zymes involved in glucose metabolism and glucose-derived neurotransmitter synthesis in these preparations are summarized. The chapter by Whittingham discusses methods of preparations of hippocampal slices for use in the study of energy metabolism. Measurement of glucose and of glycolytic and dicarboxylic acid cycle intermediates in neural tissues are described in the chapter by Bachelard.

This book aims to provide a state-of-the-art summary of what is currently known about brain glycogen metabolism, detailing the recent advances in our understanding of why glycogen is so critical for normal brain function. The role of glycogen in cellular neurophysiology remains largely unclear and its specific contribution to the energy demand of brain cells is still elusive.Glycogen is the sole cerebral glucose reserve and is emerging as a fundamental component of brain energy metabolism. Pharmacological or genetic manipulation of glycogen metabolism in the brain impairs memory formation and increases susceptibility to epileptic seizures and cortical spreading depression. Glycogen is also directly implicated in abnormal neuronal excitability and mental retardation that characterize brain disorders like Lafora disease and Pompe disease.

This new edition presents readers with the latest information on neuroscience. This book explores the advances in molecular techniques, genomics and proteomics and the progress in fluorescence.

Fundamental biochemical studies of basic brain metabolism focusing on the neuroactive amino acids glutamate and GABA combined with the seminal observation that one of the key enzymes, glutamine synthetase is localized in astroglial cells but not in neurons resulted in the formulation of the term “The Glutamate-Glutamine Cycle.” In this cycle glutamate released from neurons is taken up by surrounding astrocytes, amidated by the action of glutamine synthetase to glutamine which can be transferred back to the neurons. The conversion of glutamate to glutamine is like a stealth technology, hiding the glutamate molecule which would be highly toxic to neurons due to its excitotoxic action. This series of reactions require the concerted and precise interaction of a number of enzymes and plasma membrane transporters, and this volume provides in-depth descriptions of these processes. Obviously such a series of complicated reactions may well be prone to malfunction and therefore neurological diseases are likely to be associated with such malfunction of the enzymes and transporters involved in the cycle. These aspects are also discussed in several chapters of the book. A number of leading experts in neuroscience including intermediary metabolism, enzymology and transporter physiology have contributed to this book which provides comprehensive discussions of these different aspects of the functional importance of the glutamate-glutamine cycle coupling homeostasis of glutamatergic, excitatory neurotransmission to basic aspects of brain energy metabolism. This book will be of particular importance for students as well as professionals interested in these fundamental processes involved in brain function and dysfunction.