Lactate production and neurotransmitters; evidence from microdialysis studies

Recent studies have found that lactate metabolism plays a significant role in energy supply during acute neural activation in the brain. We will review evidence from microdialysis studies for a relationship between neurotransmitters and lactate production, as revealed in studies of the effects of psychotropic drugs on stress-induced enhancement of extracellular lactate concentrations. Glutamate enhances stress-induced lactate production via activation of N-methyl-D-asparate receptors, and is affected by uptake of glutamate through glutamate transporters. Findings from microdialysis studies suggest that major neurotransmitters, including norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, and GABA (via benzodiazepine-receptors) affect lactate production, depending on brain areas, especially during stress. Among these neurotransmitters, glutamate may principally contribute to the regulation of lactate production, with other neurotransmitter systems affecting the extracellular lactate levels in a glutamate-mediated manner. The role for anaerobic metabolism in the supply of energy, as represented by lactate dynamics, deserves further clarification. Monitoring with intracerebral microdialysis is a reliable method for this purpose. Research into this area is likely to provide a novel insight into the mode of action of psychotropic drugs, and the pathophysiology of some of the stress-related mental disorders as well.