Brain energy metabolism is optimized to minimize the cost of enzyme synthesis and transport

Abstract

Energy metabolism of the brain is poorly understood partly due to the complex morphology of neurons. Here we used metabolic models that estimate costs of enzyme usage per pathway, enzyme utilization over time, and enzyme transport to evaluate a paradigm that suggests that brain energy metabolism is optimized to minimize enzyme synthesis and transportation costs. Our models recapitulate known metabolic behaviors and provide explanation for the astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle theory.