Lactate damages primary hippocampal neurons in vitro

In the present study, rat primary cultures were used to study the effect of lactate on the survival of hippocampal neurons in the presence or absence of glucose. Our results showed no extensive cell damage under glucose-free conditions compared with glucose-rich conditions. Addition of 10 and 50 mM lactate to glucose-free and glucose-rich media increased the cell damage significantly, as observed by morphology and lactate dehydrogenase activity. The results of the present study suggest that primary neurons in vitro are not sensitive to glucose deficiency and the presence of lactate damages the neurons in a concentration-dependent manner.