Neuronal Boost: Lactate's Key Role in Brain Development

Given the growing evidence that shows lactate providing signal-regulatory functions in various cell types under physiological and pathological conditions, researchers hypothesized that lactate affects neuronal function through changing comprehensive gene expression.

The researchers tested their hypothesis by examining the gene regulation of cells treated with lactate.

They found that lactate indeed helps with neural differentiation, the process through which neural stem cells develop into specialized neurons.

The researchers believe their findings could serve as a basis for harnessing lactate signaling for encouraging exercise or designing drugs as a way to prevent or control cognitive diseases.

Their findings provide a novel insight into the mechanisms by which exercise-induced high serum lactate levels may beneficially affect the nervous system.

Furthermore, since the changes in lactate levels caused by human exercise can be measured, the adaptational changes in the brain function such as cognition and memory function can be better understood when changes in the lactate level is considered.