Preferential reduction of synaptic efficacy in the dentate gyrus of hippocampal slices from aged rats during reduced glucose availability

Highlights • Electrophysiology in dentate gyrus of hippocampal slices from adult and aged rats during reduced glucose exposure. • Slices from aged animals showed exacerbated reduction in synaptic response, suggesting impaired glucose utilization. • This exacerbated reduction in synaptic activity was not due to a decreased capacity to produce action potentials. • Reduced DG glucose utilization and impaired peripheral glucose delivery may cause aging-related hippocampal dysfunction.