Lactate: A Novel Signaling Molecule in Synaptic Plasticity and Drug Addiction.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing preclinical mechanisms and theory without primary data or systematic methodology.
PubMed 31270822 · doi:10.1002/bies.201900008
What was done
This is a narrative review summarizing literature on the role of L-lactate in cerebral energy metabolism, synaptic plasticity, neural circuitry, memory formation, and drug addiction, as well as discussing future directions regarding microglial signaling pathways.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical findings or statistical measures. It presents the qualitative framework that lactate serves a dual function as both a metabolic energy source and an active signaling mediator in neuroplasticity, memory processing, and drug addiction.
Why it matters
The review synthesizes evidence shifting the paradigm of lactate from a metabolic waste product to an active signaling molecule implicated in cognitive function and addiction neurobiology.
Limits
The paper provides no primary experimental data, systematic study selection, or quantitative effect sizes. The conclusions represent narrative mechanistic reasoning primarily derived from preclinical models.
Cited by
- supports Lactate serves as a backup energy substrate for neurons in the brain.