Effects of fatty acids, ketone bodies, lactate and pyruvate on glucose utilization by guinea-pig cerebral cortex slices.

1. Starvation did not affect the rates of glucose utilization or lactate formation by guinea-pig cerebral cortex slices. 2. Palmitate (1mm), butyrate (5mm) or acetoacetate (5mm) did not affect glucose utilization or lactate formation by cerebral cortex slices from guinea pigs starved for 48hr. 3. dl-beta-Hydroxybutyrate (10mm) increased the formation of lactate without affecting glucose utilization by cerebral cortex slices from guinea pigs starved for 48hr. This implies that beta-hydroxybutyrate decreased the rate of glucose oxidation. 4. Metabolism of added ketone bodies can account for 20-40% of observed rates of oxygen consumption. 5. Lactate or pyruvate (5mm) decreased the rates of glucose utilization by guinea-pig cerebral cortex slices.