Effects of fasting and insulin-induced hypoglycemia on brain cell membrane function and energy metabolism during hypoxia–ischemia in newborn piglets

This study was done to determine the effects of 12 h fasting-induced mild hypoglycemia (blood glucose 60 mg/dl) and insulin-induced moderate hypoglycemia (blood glucose 35 mg/dl) on brain cell membrane function and energy metabolism during hypoxia–ischemia in newborn piglets. Sixty-three ventilated piglets were divided into six groups; normoglycemic control (NC, n=8), fasting-induced mildly hypoglycemic control (FC, n=10), insulin-induced moderately hypoglycemic control (IC, n=10), normoglycemic/hypoxic–ischemic (NH, n=11), fasting-induced mildly hypoglycemic/hypoxic–ischemic (FH, n=12) and insulin-induced moderately hypoglycemic/hypoxic–ischemic (IH, n=12) group. Cerebral hypoxia–ischemia was induced by occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries and simultaneous breathing with 8% oxygen for 30 min. The brain lactate level was elevated in NH group and this change was attenuated in FH and IH groups. The extent of cerebral lactic acidosis during hypoxic–ischemic insult showed significant positive correlation with blood glucose level ( r=0.55, p