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Updated: Jul 4, 2025

Monitoring Astrocyte Reactivity and Proliferation in Vitro Under Ischemic-Like Conditions
Published on: October 21, 2017
Astrocyte-derived lactate in stress disorders
Farah Chamaa1, Pierre J Magistretti1, Hubert Fiumelli1
1Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract:
Stress disorders are psychiatric disorders arising following stressful or traumatic events. They could deleteriously affect an individual's health because they often co-occur with mental illnesses. Considerable attention has been focused on neurons when considering the neurobiology of stress disorders. However, like other mental health conditions, recent studies have highlighted the importance of astrocytes in the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders. In addition to their structural and homeostatic support role, astrocytes actively serve several functions in regulating synaptic transmission and plasticity, protecting neurons from toxic compounds, and providing metabolic support for neurons. The astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle model sets forth the importance of astrocytes in providing lactate for the metabolic supply of neurons under intense activity. Lactate also plays a role as a signaling molecule and has been recently studied regarding its antidepressant activity. This review discusses the involvement of astrocytes and brain energy metabolism in stress and further reflects on the importance of lactate as an energy supply in the brain and its emerging antidepressant role in stress-related disorders.
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