This study investigated how different brain cell types respond to β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB), a ketone body. They found that SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and primary neurons, but not astrocytes, exposed to βOHB increased respiration and decreased PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling. However, despite increased respiration, SH-SY5Y cells treated with βOHB reduced their overall metabolic activity and cell cycling rate, suggesting that βOHB-induced increase in neuron respiration could alleviate bioenergetic stress and limit cell senescence, which may benefit conditions like brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases.