Bullfrog Brains Can Make Their Own Backup Fuel

Bullfrog brains have a hidden superpower

When bullfrog brains run low on energy, they can make their own emergency fuel. The finding could have implications for human health.

Wood frog brains produce ketone bodies locally during metabolic depletion

Scientists at the University of Missouri have discovered that the brains of amphibians, specifically those in the "bolovnyaki" (a colloquial term for certain amphibians), can produce their own ketone bodies when glucose levels drop. This finding challenges the long-held belief that the brain relies solely on external glucose for energy. Previously, it was understood that a decline in blood glucose could lead to neuron dysfunction and tissue dama…

Bullfrog brains can make their own backup fuel

For decades, scientists believed most animals relied on a steady supply of glucose, the body's primary fuel source, to power their brains. When glucose runs out, neural activity begins to fail, potentially leading to lasting brain damage.

Bullfrog Brains Produce Their Own Emergency Fuel When Glucose Runs Out

Biologists discover bullfrog brains synthesize their own emergency ketones when glucose runs out, upending rules of neural energy metabolism.