Regional cerebral glucose utilization during hyperglycemia.

Previous data indicate that regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) decreases during acute and chronic hyperglycemia. To test the hypothesis that the decrease in rCBF is secondary to a decrease in cerebral metabolic rate, the rate of regional cerebral glucose utilization (rCMRgl) was measured in awake-restrained rats during acute and chronic hyperglycemia. Acute hyperglycemia was produced by intraperitoneal injection of glucose, and chronic hyperglycemia was produced by treatment with streptozotocin. The rCMRgl was measured over a 10-min period using [6-14C]glucose. Glucose utilization was normal during acute hyperglycemia but decreased by 13% following 3 weeks of chronic hyperglycemia. The absence of a decrease in rCMRgl measured during acute hyperglycemia indicates that decreased rCBF cannot be explained by a change in the metabolic rate of the brain. The decrease in rCMRgl measured during chronic hyperglycemia does not necessarily indicate the presence of a drop in the metabolic rate of the brain because ketone bodies are available as an alternate fuel for oxidative metabolism. Therefore, it is unlikely that the decrease in rCMRgl measured during chronic hyperglycemia accounts for decreased rCBF.