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Lactate: A Novel Signaling Molecule in Synaptic Plasticity and Drug Addiction
Author(s) -
Wang Qiuting,
Hu Ying,
Wan Jiale,
Dong Bo,
Sun Jinhao
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
bioessays
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.175
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1521-1878
pISSN - 0265-9247
DOI - 10.1002/bies.201900008
Subject(s) - addiction , synaptic plasticity , drug , plasticity , neuroscience , chemistry , biology , pharmacology , biochemistry , materials science , receptor , composite material
l ‐Lactate is emerging as a crucial regulatory nexus for energy metabolism in the brain and signaling transduction in synaptic plasticity, memory processes, and drug addiction instead of being merely a waste by‐product of anaerobic glycolysis. In this review, the role of lactate in various memory processes, synapse plasticity and drug addiction on the basis of recent studies is summarized and discussed. To this end, three main parts are presented: first, lactate as an energy substrate in energy metabolism of the brain is described; second, lactate as a novel signaling molecule in synaptic plasticity, neural circuits, memory, and drug addiction is described; and third, in light of the above descriptions, it is plausible to speculate that lactate is predominantly a signaling molecule in specific memory processes and partly acts as an energy substrate. The future perspective in lactate signaling involving microglia and associated precise signaling pathways in the brain is highlighted.