On Monday September 11th 2023, we are in for a treat when senior lecturer Joao Duarte from Lund University gives a talk.
The talk will be held in the MR Conference Room at 9:15
Title: “Brain metabolism in rodent models of diabetes studied by MRS”
Abstract
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) with 13C tracing has been used in vivo, namely for detecting labelling incorporation from 13C-labeled glucose into brain metabolites and major amino acids. Such approach allows to determine rates of energy metabolism in neurons and astrocytes, and the glutamate-glutamine cycle. Our work in animal models suggests that, while the rate of resting energy metabolism is slower in astrocytes than neurons of the cortex in vivo, somatosensory stimulation induces oxidative metabolism increments of similar magnitude in the two cell types. Moreover, rates of brain energy metabolism and the glutamate-glutamine cycle are modified in insulin resistant Goto-Kakizaki rats. These results are in accordance with diabetes-induced astrogliosis and disrupted astrocytic support to synapses. Our results from these 13C MRS experiments suggest an active role of astrocyte bioenergetics in glutamatergic neurotransmission, which is dysfunctional in excitatory synapses upon insulin resistance. Moreover, 1H MRS has revealed prominent insulin resistance-induced modifications of metabolite profiles in the brain, namely cortex and hippocampus. This later approach is being used to track brain metabolite shifts during metabolic disease progression and treatment.
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