EFFECT OF AGING ON BRAIN RESPIRATION AND CARBOHYDRATE-METABOLISM OF CBF1 MICE

Brain slices of mice (strain CBF1) were used to study the effect of aging on cerebral cortex respiration and metabolism. Young animals (average age 6 months) were compared with old animals (average age 34 months). Metabolism was measured at a normal temperature (37 °C) and under hyperthermic stress (40 °C). The brain slices were incubated with14C-glucose under standard conditions with the following parameters being measured: Oxygen uptake, 14CO2 production, glucose utilization, and lactate and pyruvate formation. At the normal temperature, there were significant age-associated decreases in oxygen uptake and 14CO2 production but the other parameters were unchanged. At hyperthermic conditions there were significant age-associated decreases in oxygen uptake,14CO2 production, lactate production, and glucose utilization. Also, in the hyperthermia study, all values were raised from control study values (37 °C) with old animals showing smaller increases in glucose utilization and lactate formation. These findings indicate the dysfunction of a number of metabolic pathways in the aged animal. © 1979 S. Karger AG, Basel.