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. 1967 Oct;46(10):1589-95.
doi: 10.1172/JCI105650.

Brain metabolism during fasting

O E Owen, A P Morgan, H G Kemp, J M Sullivan, M G Herrera, G F Cahill Jr

Brain metabolism during fasting

O E Owen et al. J Clin Invest. 1967 Oct.

Abstract

Catheterization of cerebral vessels in three obese patients undergoing 5-6 wk of starvation demonstrated that beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate replaced glucose as the predominant fuel for brain metabolism. A strikingly low respiratory quotient was also observed, suggesting a carboxylation mechanism as a means of disposing of some of the carbon of the consumed substrates.

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