title: Brain metabolism during fasting.
abstract: Catheterization of cerebral vessels in three obese patients undergoing 5-6 wk of starvation demonstrated that beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate replaced glucose as the predominant fuel for brain metabolism. A strikingly low respiratory quotient was also observed, suggesting a carboxylation mechanism as a means of disposing of some of the carbon of the consumed substrates.
mesh_terms: D000090:Acetoacetates / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002151:Calorimetry; D002404:Catheterization; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013217:Starvation / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000090:Acetoacetates; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D005947:Glucose