Cited by 1,285Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchAdvanced MRI Techniques and ApplicationsNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms

A Cellular Perspective on Brain Energy Metabolism and Functional Imaging

Open access
Magistretti, Pierre J., Allaman, Igor·2015·Neuron

Abstract

The energy demands of the brain are high: they account for at least 20% of the body's energy consumption. Evolutionary studies indicate that the emergence of higher cognitive functions in humans is associated with an increased glucose utilization and expression of energy metabolism genes. Functional brain imaging techniques such as fMRI and PET, which are widely used in human neuroscience studies, detect signals that monitor energy delivery and use in register with neuronal activity. Recent technological advances in metabolic studies with cellular resolution have afforded decisive insights into the understanding of the cellular and molecular bases of the coupling between neuronal activity and energy metabolism and point at a key role of neuron-astrocyte metabolic interactions. This article reviews some of the most salient features emerging from recent studies and aims at providing an integration of brain energy metabolism across resolution scales.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.03.035

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203 of 203 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Neural tissue is metabolically expensive, consuming approximately 20% of the body's energy despite comprising only 2% of body mass.

    “Neural tissue is metabolically expensive, consuming approximately 20% of the body’s energy despite comprising only 2% of body mass (Attwell and Laughlin 2001; Magistretti and Allaman 2015).”

    From The myth of the Bayesian brain (2025) · cites this paper as Magistretti and Allaman 2015

  • The study developed a scalable method, scdemon, which uses sample decorrelation to annotate both ubiquitous and rare gene expression programs in each major cell type, and used annotated modules to identify functional programs associated with specific pathological variables, including a glycolysis- and energy-metabolism-linked program in glia associated with diffuse plaque burden.

    “To further examine the cellular and regional heterogeneity of the human brain, we developed a scalable method, scdemon, which uses sample decorrelation to annotate both ubiquitous and rare gene expression programs in each major cell type, and used annotated modules to identify functional programs associated with specific pathological variables, including a glycolysis- and energy-metabolism-linked”

    From Single-cell multiregion dissection of Alzheimer’s disease (2024) · cites this paper as [60]

  • In regions with high diffuse plaque, astrocytes upregulated glycolysis enzymes converting glucose-6-phosphate to pyruvate, while downregulating MPC1, the mitochondrial pyruvate transporter.

    “In regions with high diffuse plaque, astrocytes upregulated glycolysis enzymes converting glucose-6-phosphate to pyruvate, while downregulating MPC1, the mitochondrial pyruvate transporter60 (Fig. 4n).”

    From Single-cell multiregion dissection of Alzheimer’s disease (2024) · cites this paper as [60]

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Authors
Magistretti, P. J., & Allaman, I.
Affiliations
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
Corresponding author
Magistretti, Pierre J.
Venue
Neuron
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-05
Volume
86
Issue
4
Pages
883-901
ISSN
0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1797578063
Cited by
1,285
References
204
Citations by year
2026: 148 · 2025: 145 · 2024: 136 · 2023: 117 · 2022: 145 · 2021: 128 · 2020: 125 · 2019: 99 · 2018: 103 · 2017: 75 · 2016: 49 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 1
FWCI
9.55
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuron (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • IRIS (submittedVersion)
  • King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Repository (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) (submittedVersion)
  • SERVAL (Université de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
Keywords
brain energy metabolism, glucose utilization, neuronal activity, astrocytes, energy metabolism genes, functional MRI, PET, cellular resolution
MeSH terms
Animals, Astrocytes, Brain, Energy Metabolism, Glucose, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Neurons

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