Cajal Course: Bioenergetics for brain function

The brain is one of the most energy-consuming organs of the body. Indeed, one could say that the main difference between the brain and a computer is the plug: once plugged, energy is not an issue for the computer, but it is a constant burden for each cell of the brain. As such, energy metabolism in the brain is not just a mere housekeeping and survival service, but it constitutes an essential element directly participating in signaling, computation and behavior. This course will address the different ways by which energy metabolism participates to high-order brain functions and the underlying cellular, molecular and circuit mechanisms.