Cerebral glucose metabolism (CMRglu) is decreased during acute and prolonged hypercapnic acidosis and during prolonged metabolic (HCl) acidosis; it is increased in acute (hypocapnic) metabolic acidosis and is not changed in acute isocapnic metabolic acidosis. The alteration in CMRglu can be explained by the changes occurring in intracerebral pH under these experimental conditions. In pontine gray matter, n. tractus solitarii, and n. ambiguus, three structures participating in the neuronal regulation of ventilation, local CMRglu is increased in all acidotic groups, suggesting coupling of function and metabolism at the local level during acidosis-induced hyperventilation.