The Lactate Nexus: A Molecular Bridge Linking Physical Activity, Sleep, and Cognitive Enhancement

Physical activity (PA) and quality sleep are essential for cognitive health, providing synergistic protection against age-related cognitive decline. However, the shared molecular pathways that explain their combined and interactive benefits remain poorly understood. This review suggests that lactate, long dismissed as a metabolic waste product, is a unifying mechanism. We introduce the "Lactate Nexus", a conceptual framework that proposes lactate functions as a key signalling molecule, mechanistically linking the pro-cognitive effects of both daytime exercise and nighttime sleep. We begin by outlining lactate's evolving role-from an energy substrate shuttled from astrocytes to neurons (the Astrocyte-Neuron…

• TU
  Tsinghua University