🧠 Why does the brain demand so much energy? What happens when that supply falters with age?
In this study, we present a multiscale model of electro-metabolic coupling in a digitally reconstructed rat neocortex. By combining detailed electrophysiological modeling with neuro-glial-vascular (NGV) metabolic dynamics, we explore how energy demand varies across neurons and circuits, and how ageing disrupts this balance.
Key insights:
🔹 Energy use varies by neuron type and circuit location
🔹 Middle cortical layers are especially vulnerable to age-related metabolic decline
🔹 Our model bridges single-cell metabolism and whole-circuit function
We’re excited that this work brings us closer to understanding how energy dynamics influence brain ageing. 🙏
A big thank you to everyone in the EPFL Blue Brain Project - A Swiss Brain Initiative who contributed over the years to advancing neuroscience. In particular, I’d like to recognize the amazing contributors to this article: Alessandro Cattabiani, Darshan Mandge, Polina Shichkova, James Isbister, Jean Jacquemier, James Gonzalo King, Henry Markram, and Daniel Keller.
💫 Special thanks to Cyrille Favreau and Elvis Boci for their beautiful work on Figure 1 (below👇), Karin Holm for editorial support, and everyone else who helped shape this research.
📖 Read more: https://lnkd.in/dg-A-rVQ
