A new Yale study has revealed that neurons - the energy-hungry cells that connect and direct activity in the brain - are equipped with "backup batteries" that kick in to keep the brain running during periods of metabolic stress.
Writing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers describe how neurons store their own glycogen, a form of sugar that helps neurons stay resilient when their main energy sources falter.
The findings illustrate how neuron cells can adapt their metabolism, researchers say, and could shape new treatments for neurological conditions like stroke, neurodegeneration, and epilepsy, all disorders in which energy failure plays a role.
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