The brain is organized to minimize energy consumption while maximizing computation

Sharna D. Jamadar, Anna Behler, Hamish Deery, Michael Breakspear, The metabolic costs of cognition, Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Volume 29, Issue 6, 2025, Pages 541-555, 10.1016/j.tics.2024.11.010.

Cognition and behavior are emergent properties of brain systems that seek to maximize complex and adaptive behaviors while minimizing energy utilization. Different species reconcile this trade-off in different ways, but in humans the outcome is biased towards complex behaviors and hence relatively high energy use. However, even in energy-intensive brains, numerous parsimonious processes operate to optimize energy use. We review how this balance manifests in both homeostatic processes and task-associated cognition. We also consider the perturbations and disruptions of metabolism in neurocognitive diseases.

Comments are closed.

Post Navigation