The Brain Hypometabolism Hypothesis Part 26: GLUT 4

Professors Bernard Thorens and Mike Mueckler have written a review titled ‘Glucose Transporters in the 21st Century‘. In terms of a Brain Hypometabolism Hypothesis, it is important to understand how Glucose is handled in the brain. Thorens and Mueckler reference 14 Glucose Transporters but not all of them are expressed in the brain.

In their paper, Thorens and Mueckler note that GLUT 4 is one of the most well studied Glucose transporters and is linked to Glucose homeostasis throughout the body. There are various studies that have examined GLUT 4 in the brain including this one which looks at synaptic activity.

Appendix A – Citations

Ashrafi G, Wu Z, Farrell RJ, Ryan TA. GLUT4 Mobilization Supports Energetic Demands of Active Synapses.Neuron. 2017 Feb 8;93(3):606-615.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.12.020. Epub 2017 Jan 19.

Thorens B, Mueckler M. Glucose transporters in the 21st Century. American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2010;298(2):E141-E145. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00712.2009.

Index: There are indices for the TAWOP site here and here

Twitter: You can follow ‘The Amazing World of Psychiatry’ Twitter by clicking on this link.

TAWOP Channel: You can follow the TAWOP Channel on YouTube by clicking on this link.

Responses: If you have any comments, you can leave them below or alternatively e-mail justinmarley17@yahoo.co.uk.

Disclaimer: The comments made here represent the opinions of the author and do not represent the profession or any body/organisation. The comments made here are not meant as a source of medical advice and those seeking medical advice are advised to consult with their own doctor. The author is not responsible for the contents of any external sites that are linked to in this blog.

Conflicts of Interest: *For potential conflicts of interest please see the About section