Scientists have known that male and female mammals respond differently to starvation, with male cells tending to conserve protein while female calls lean toward fat conservation.
© Robert S.B. ClarkAfter 24 hours of starvation, neurons from females (left) mobilize free fatty acids and form lipid droplets (bright green), keeping them alive. In contrast, neurons from males (right panel) begin eating themselves from the inside to break down proteins, presumably to use as fuel.
But what happens in the brain, where cells need a complex set of nutrients to fire properly? A new study of rodents, thought to be a good analogue to humans, offers hints.
The upshot: "When it comes to keeping brains alive, it seems nature has deemed that females are more valuable then males," the researcher said in a statement yesterday.