The Antidepressant Effects of Lactate: Role of Neurogenesis and NADH

Astrocytes are key players in energy metabolism and glutamate transport. In addition, growing evidence suggests that astrocytes are involved in the pathophysiology and treatment of depression. Lactate produced by astrocytes through the Astrocyte Neuron Lactate Shuttle (ANLS) has been shown to be not only the preferred energy substrate for neurons but also a signaling molecule for plasticity (Magistretti and Allaman Nature Rev Neurosci 2018).