Cerebral glucose sensing, neuronal plasticity and energy metabolism

Energy intake is usually well regulated and finely adjusted to energy expenditure. This equilibrium, called energy homeostasis, is dependant in part of the central nervous system which is able to analyse the energy state of the organism by the integration of numerous signals coming from the periphery from which glucose is an important one. This review focuses on the recent advances made on the identification of cellular and molecular mechanisms, phenotype of the neurons, neuronal network and their plasticity involved in glucose sensing. For example, it is now well established that neurons responding to hypo-, hyper-glycemia and even at different concentration changes are present at least in the hypothalamus. Mechanisms involved various actors such as glucose transporters, mitochondria and signals generated by their respiratory activity (ATP, reactive oxygen species) and ion channels. A new area concerns the role of the plasticity of neuronal networks involved in the regulation of the energy metabolism. Altogether, these data should allow to define better and possibly modulate the responses associated with modifications of glycemia and in particular changes observed during various nutritional and/or metabolic pathologies. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS on behalf of Societe francaise de nutrition.