Authors: Helle M Sickmann Helle S Waagepetersen
Publish Date: 2014/04/29
Volume: 30, Issue: 1, Pages: 335-343
Abstract
Brain glycogen being an intracellular glucose reservoir contributes to maintain energy and neurotransmitter homeostasis under physiological as well as pathological conditions Under conditions with a disturbance in systemic glucose metabolism such as in diabetes the supply of glucose to the brain may be affected and have important impacts on brain metabolism and neurotransmission This also implies that brain glycogen may serve an essential role in the diabetic state to sustain appropriate brain function There are two main types of diabetes type 1 and type 2 diabetes and both types may be associated with brain impairments eg cognitive decline and dementia It is however not clear how these impairments on brain function are linked to alterations in brain energy and neurotransmitter metabolism In this review we will illuminate how rodent diabetes models have contributed to a better understanding of how brain energy and neurotransmitter metabolism is affected in diabetes There will be a particular focus on the role of brain glycogen to support glycolytic and TCA cycle activity as well as glutamateglutamine cycle in type 1 and type 2 diabetes
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