Cerebral metabolism of isotopic glucose in chronic mental disease

¹ Research Facility, Rockland State Hospital, Orangeburg, New York

A previous investigation of cerebral metabolism of isotopic glucose in normal human subjects was extended and similar studies performed upon chronic psychiatric patients. With variously labeled glucose-C¹⁴ as substrates, average activity-time curves and values for cumulative C¹⁴O₂ resulting from cerebral oxidation of labeled glucose showed no significant variations between normal and psychotic subjects. A significant difference (P < 0.02) between the two groups did occur in comparing the fraction of brain CO₂ derived from glucose. Calculations using individual glucose-U-C¹⁴ experiments gave averages of 56% for normal subjects and 36% for mental patients. These values agreed with those derived from composite curves of variously labeled glucose. That less brain CO₂ was derived from glucose in psychotic subjects seemed to indicate a greater dilution of some carbohydrate intermediate(s) by protein and/or lipid intermediate(s); and, possibly, a decreased cerebral oxidation of carbohydrate. Theoretical considerations suggested that pyruvate and/or lactate might be the main site(s) of dilution.

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