[Cerebral metabolism and brain injury].
Brain energy metabolism and signal transduction are intimely intricated. At the cellular level this is reflected by the interdependent metabolism of glutamate and glucose and the energetic compartmentalization between astrocytic glycolysis and neuronal metabolism. Astrocytes appear to have a particular importance in brain metabolism by regulating microcirculation and the repartition of energetic substrates in function of synaptic activity. The high level of O(2) consumption compared to the mass of tissue confers a particular vulnerability of brain to oxidative stress. The synthesis of glutathione, the main anti-oxidant of brain, appears to be dependent of the regulation of synaptic glutamate concentration by astrocytes. Deficiencies of astrocytes functions appear to play a key role in the physiopathology of brain injury.
Ter-Minassian
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Département d'anesthésie-réanimation chirurgicale B, CHU d'Angers, hôpital Larrey, 49100 Angers, France. ArTerMinassian@chu-angers.fr
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction