Cellular mechanisms of brain lipid metabolism in health and disease

Lipid metabolism has recently regained considerable attention in neuroscience, as disturbances in lipid metabolic pathways have been linked to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. Here we examine brain lipid metabolism from a cellular perspective, focusing on lipid uptake, de novo synthesis, storage, breakdown and intercellular transfer. We cover the recent literature showing how these processes are important during brain development and how they occur in diverse brain cell types, including astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, neural stem and progenitor cells, microglia and neurons in the adult brain. We further discuss the consequences of disrupted lipid metabolism and highlight emerging insights into neuron-glia lipid exchange, as well as the importance of lipid droplets for brain health and disease.