Is there an energy conservation "system" in brain that protects against the consequences of energy depletion?

A poorly understood marked decrease (circa 50% of control) in local cerebral glucose utilization is caused by sublethal doses of NaCN. The decrease is global, occurring in essentially all brain regions and is entirely reversible within hours, leaving no obvious pathology. This event is not unique to NaCN in so far as a strikingly similar pattern of decreased glucose utilization occurs with some other toxins. Nor can it be attributed to a direct action of NaCN since local application by microdialysis to the striatum produces a global depression. These results imply that some widely distributed "system" or substance is involved. We speculate the existence of a "system" possibly related to the reticular activating system that senses a fall in energy production and acts globally to make cells quiescent and thus would give some protection from excitotoxic driven damage.