Diverse mechanisms regulating brain energy supply at the capillary level

Neural information processing depends critically on the brain’s energy supply, which is provided in form of glucose and oxygen blood. Regulation this supply occurs by smooth muscle contractile pericytes adjusting diameter arterioles capillaries, respectively. Controversies exist over relative importance capillary arteriolar level control, whether enzymatically generated signals or K+ ions are dominant controller cerebral blood flow, involvement endothelial cells. Here, we try to synthesise relevant recent data into a coherent view how brain controlled suggest approaches answering key questions.