2. Academic Validation
  3. Comprehensive characterization of metabolic consumption and production by the human brain

Comprehensive characterization of metabolic consumption and production by the human brain

  • Neuron. 2025 Jun 4;113(11):1708-1722.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.03.003.
Yilong Wang 1,  Lebo Zhou 2,  Nan Wang 3,  Baoshan Qiu 3,  Di Yao 4,  Jie Yu 5,  Miaoqing He 6,  Tong Li 4,  Yufeng Xie 7,  Xiaoqian Yu 4,  Zhanying Bi 8,  Xiangli Sun 4,  Xunming Ji 9,  Zhen Li 4,  Dapeng Mo 10,  Woo-Ping Ge 11
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China; Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Beijing 102206, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Beijing 100070, China. Electronic address: yilong528@aliyun.com.
  • 2 Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China; Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Beijing 102206, China; Beijing Institute for Brain Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102206, China.
  • 3 Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China; Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Beijing 102206, China.
  • 4 Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Beijing 102206, China; Beijing Institute for Brain Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102206, China.
  • 5 Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Beijing 102206, China; Beijing Institute for Brain Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102206, China; Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China.
  • 6 Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Beijing 102206, China; Beijing Institute for Brain Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102206, China; Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies (AAIS), Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
  • 7 Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Beijing 102206, China; Beijing Institute for Brain Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102206, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Changping Laboratory, Beijing 102206, China.
  • 8 Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Beijing 102206, China; Beijing Institute for Brain Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102206, China; College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
  • 9 Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
  • 10 Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China; Department of Interventional Neuroradiology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China. Electronic address: bjttmodp@163.com.
  • 11 Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Beijing 102206, China; Beijing Institute for Brain Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102206, China; Changping Laboratory, Beijing 102206, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China. Electronic address: woopingge@cibr.ac.cn.
PMID: 40147438 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.03.003
Abstract

Metabolism is vital for brain function. However, a systematic investigation to understand the metabolic exchange between the human brain and circulatory system has been lacking. Here, we compared metabolomes and lipidomes of blood samples from the cerebral venous sinus and femoral artery to profile the brain's uptake and release of metabolites and lipids (1,365 metabolites and 140 lipids). We observed a high net uptake of glucose, taurine, and hypoxanthine and identified glutamine and pyruvate as significantly released metabolites by the brain. Triacylglycerols are the most prominent class of lipid consumed by the brain. The brain with cerebral venous sinus stenosis (CVSS) consumed more glucose and lactate and released more glucose metabolism byproducts than the brain with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). Our data also showed age-related alterations in the uptake and release of metabolites. These results provide a comprehensive view of metabolic consumption and production processes within the human brain.

Keywords

arteriovenous comparison; blood circulation; brain metabolism; cerebral venous stenosis; cerebral venous thrombosis; lipid; metabolite; metabolomics; release; uptake.

Figures
Products