作为糖酵解的最终产物，乳酸不仅是一种能量底物、代谢产物和信号分子，在多种疾病中如癌症、炎症和败血症中发挥作用，而且也作为蛋白乳酸化的调节因子，这是一种被认为在生理和病理情况下对脑组织的能量代谢和信号传导至关重要的新型表观遗传修饰。在本综述中，乳酸代谢和疾病研究所得到的乳酸化证据已被总结，揭示了乳酸及其受体在调节脑功能中的功能，并总结了不同脑疾病中乳酸化表达的水平。最后，介绍和讨论了乳酸和乳酸化在脑部的功能和对脑疾病干预的潜在机制，为未来关于乳酸化在脑部作用的研究提供了最佳视角。 © 2023. 作者（作者），在Springer Science+Business Media，LLC的独家许可下，Springer Nature的一部分。

As the final product of glycolysis, lactate features not only as an energy substrate, a metabolite, and a signaling molecule in a variety of diseases-such as cancer, inflammation, and sepsis-but also as a regulator of protein lactylation; this is a newly proposed epigenetic modification that is considered to be crucial for energy metabolism and signaling in brain tissues under both physiological and pathological conditions. In this review, evidence on lactylation from studies on lactate metabolism and disease has been summarized, revealing the function of lactate and its receptors in the regulation of brain function and summarizing the levels of lactylation expression in various brain diseases. Finally, the function of lactate and lactylation in the brain and the potential mechanisms of intervention in brain diseases are presented and discussed, providing optimal perspectives for future research on the role of lactylation in the brain.© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.