Local cerebral glucose metabolism during controlled hypoxemia in rats.

2-Deoxy-[14C]glucose metabolism was examined in brains of hypoxic, normotensive rats by autoradiography, which revealed alternating cortical columns of high and low metabolism. Activity in white matter was increased severalfold over that in adjacent gray matter. The columns were anatomically related to penetrating cortical arteries with areas between arteries demonstrating higher rates of metabolism. The results suggest the presence of interarterial tissue oxygen gradients that influence regional glucose metabolism. The relatively greater sensitivity of white matter metabolism to hypoxia may lead to an understanding of white matter damage in postanoxic leukoencephalopathy.