Scaling of Brain Metabolism with a Fixed Energy Budget per Neuron
Author Information
Author(s): Suzana Herculano-Houzel
Primary Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Hypothesis
How does the metabolic cost of the brain scale with brain size and whether the metabolic cost per neuron increases with neuronal size?
Conclusion
The average metabolic cost per neuron is relatively stable across species, suggesting a fixed energy budget per neuron regardless of brain size.
Supporting Evidence
- The estimated glucose use per neuron is remarkably constant across six species of rodents and primates.
- Total glucose use by the brain scales linearly with the number of neurons.
- Average glucose consumption per neuron is at least 10× higher in the cerebral cortex than in the cerebellum.
Takeaway
This study found that all brains use about the same amount of energy per neuron, no matter how big the brain is.
Methodology
The study analyzed previously published data on brain metabolism and numbers of neurons across six mammalian species.
Participant Demographics
The study included three rodents (mouse, rat, squirrel) and three primates (macaque monkey, baboon, human).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.830–0.915
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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