FOOD-DEPRIVATION AND REFEEDING IN ATLANTIC SALMON, SALMO-SALAR - EFFECTS ON BRAIN AND LIVER CARBOHYDRATE AND KETONE-BODIES METABOLISM

The capacity of carbohydrate and ketone bodies metabolism in brain and liver was evaluated in fed and food-deprived Atlantic salmon (Salmo s alar) in a time period covering from 1 to 7 days (Experiment I), and i n Atlantic salmon food deprived for 6 weeks, and food deprived for 4 w eeks and refed for 2 weeks (Experiment II), The results obtained demon strate for the first time in a teleost the existence of changes in bra in metabolism due to food deprivation. Thus, decreased glucose levels in plasma are reflected in the brain by an increased mobilization of g lycogen reserves, and by a decreased glycolytic capacity. Also, ketone bodies appear to increase their importance as a metabolic fuel from d ay 7 of food deprivation onwards. A possible increase in the gluconeog enic potential in brain simultaneously is not discarded. All these met abolic changes are reversed under refeeding conditions.