Glucose depletion hyperpolarizes guinea pig hippocampal neurons by an increase in potassium conductance.

Superfusion of guinea pig hippocampal brain slices with a glucose-free solution induced a membrane hyperpolarization and an increase in input conductance of neurons in the CA3 region. Under voltage clamp, glucose depletion induced an outward current with a reversal potential near the K+ equilibrium potential. The action of glucose depletion was different from the effect of ouabain, indicating that low-glucose-induced changes in the membrane conductance are primarily due to alterations in cell metabolism rather than due only to an inhibition of the Na+/K+ pump.