Age-dependent changes in the oxidative metabolism in rat brain.

The effects of aging on the oxidation of labeled glucose and 3-hydroxybutyrate and on several mitochondrial enzymes in rat brain were investigated. The oxidation of labeled glucose and labeled 3-hydroxybutyrate was diminished by about 40 and 35%, respectively, in cerebral cortex slices from 2-year-old rats compared to those from 3-mo-old animals. A significant reduction in the activities of 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, 3-oxo acid CoA transferase, acetoacetyl CoA thiolase, and NAD-isocitrate dehydrogenase was observed in brains of 1- and 2-year-old rats compared to 3-mo-old animals. However, aging had no effect on the activities of citrate synthase and pyruvate carboxylase. These findings show that specific alterations occur in the activities of several mitochondrial enzymes in aging brain.