Coupling of Blood Flow to Neuronal Excitability

At least four mechanisms underlie the link between brain function and brain energy metabolism. These mechanisms tie the function of the brain to the work carried out in the brain (the function—work couple), the work of the brain to the cells that carry out the work (energetic compartmentation), the cells that carry out the work to the relative and absolute magnitudes of oxidative and nonoxidative energy metabolism of brain (energy—metabolism couple), and the energy metabolism of the brain to its blood supply (metabolism—flow couple).