White matter lactate: Does it matter?

J E Rinholm; Linda Hildegard Bergersen

doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.10.002

White matter lactate: Does it matter?

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

About half of the human brain is white matter, characterized by axons covered in myelin, which facilitates the high speed of nerve signals from one brain area to another. At the time of myelination, the oligodendrocytes that synthesize myelin require a large amount of energy for this task. Conditions that deprive the tissue of energy can kill the oligodendrocytes. During brain development, the oligodendrocytes may use lactate as an alternative source of energy and material for myelin formation. Mature oligodendrocytes, however, can release lactate through the myelin sheath as nutrient for axons. In addition, lactate carries signals as a volume transmitter. Myelin thus seems to serve as a provider of substrates and signals for axons, and not as a mere insulator. We review the fluxes of lactate in white matter and their significance in brain function.

Original language	English
Journal	Neuroscience
Volume	276
Pages (from-to)	109-116
Number of pages	8
ISSN	0306-4522
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.10.002
Publication status	Published - 12 Sept 2014

Keywords

Animals
Axons/metabolism
Humans
Lactic Acid/metabolism
Myelin Sheath/metabolism
Oligodendroglia/metabolism
Signal Transduction
White Matter/metabolism

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10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.10.002

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title = "White matter lactate: Does it matter?",

abstract = "About half of the human brain is white matter, characterized by axons covered in myelin, which facilitates the high speed of nerve signals from one brain area to another. At the time of myelination, the oligodendrocytes that synthesize myelin require a large amount of energy for this task. Conditions that deprive the tissue of energy can kill the oligodendrocytes. During brain development, the oligodendrocytes may use lactate as an alternative source of energy and material for myelin formation. Mature oligodendrocytes, however, can release lactate through the myelin sheath as nutrient for axons. In addition, lactate carries signals as a volume transmitter. Myelin thus seems to serve as a provider of substrates and signals for axons, and not as a mere insulator. We review the fluxes of lactate in white matter and their significance in brain function. ",

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doi = "10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.10.002",

language = "English",

volume = "276",

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journal = "Neuroscience",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - White matter lactate

T2 - Does it matter?

AU - Rinholm, J E

AU - Bergersen, Linda Hildegard

PY - 2014/9/12

Y1 - 2014/9/12

N2 - About half of the human brain is white matter, characterized by axons covered in myelin, which facilitates the high speed of nerve signals from one brain area to another. At the time of myelination, the oligodendrocytes that synthesize myelin require a large amount of energy for this task. Conditions that deprive the tissue of energy can kill the oligodendrocytes. During brain development, the oligodendrocytes may use lactate as an alternative source of energy and material for myelin formation. Mature oligodendrocytes, however, can release lactate through the myelin sheath as nutrient for axons. In addition, lactate carries signals as a volume transmitter. Myelin thus seems to serve as a provider of substrates and signals for axons, and not as a mere insulator. We review the fluxes of lactate in white matter and their significance in brain function.

AB - About half of the human brain is white matter, characterized by axons covered in myelin, which facilitates the high speed of nerve signals from one brain area to another. At the time of myelination, the oligodendrocytes that synthesize myelin require a large amount of energy for this task. Conditions that deprive the tissue of energy can kill the oligodendrocytes. During brain development, the oligodendrocytes may use lactate as an alternative source of energy and material for myelin formation. Mature oligodendrocytes, however, can release lactate through the myelin sheath as nutrient for axons. In addition, lactate carries signals as a volume transmitter. Myelin thus seems to serve as a provider of substrates and signals for axons, and not as a mere insulator. We review the fluxes of lactate in white matter and their significance in brain function.

KW - Animals

KW - Axons/metabolism

KW - Humans

KW - Lactic Acid/metabolism

KW - Myelin Sheath/metabolism

KW - Oligodendroglia/metabolism

KW - Signal Transduction

KW - White Matter/metabolism

U2 - 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.10.002

DO - 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.10.002

M3 - Review

C2 - 24125892

SN - 0306-4522

VL - 276

SP - 109

EP - 116

JO - Neuroscience

JF - Neuroscience

ER -

White matter lactate: Does it matter?

Abstract

Keywords

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