Variability of mitochondrial energy balance across brain regions.

Brain is not homogenous and neurons from various brain regions are known to have different vulnerabilities to mitochondrial mutations and mitochondrial toxins. However, it is not clear if this vulnerability is connected to different energy metabolism in specific brain regions. Here, using live-cell imaging, we compared mitochondrial membrane potential and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) redox balance in acute rat brain slices in different brain regions and further detailed the mitochondrial metabolism in primary neurons and astrocytes from rat cortex, midbrain and cerebellum.