Previous neuron and glial cell culture studies of excessive poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP-1) activation found NAD + depletion, glycolytic arrest, and cell death that could be avoided by exogenous tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) metabolites, especially pyruvate (pyr). Pyruvate neuroprotection has been attributed to cytosolic NAD + replenishment, TCA metabolism, and antioxidant activity. We investigated the first two mechanisms in respiring cerebrocortical slices after a 1-h H 2 O 2 exposure to activate PARP-1. H 2 O 2 was followed by a 4-h recovery with oxy-artificial cerebrospinal fluid superfusion having either: (1) no glucose (glc) or pyruvate; (2) 10 mmol/L glc only; (3) 10 mmol/L pyruvate only; (4) both 10 mmol/L glc and 10 mmol/L pyruvate. Poly-ADPribosylation was quantified from Western blots and immunohistochemistry. Perchloric acid extracts were quantified with 14.1 T 31 P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Just after H 2 O 2 exposure, ATP and NAD + decreased by E50%, PCr decreased by 75%, and the ADP/ATP ratio approximately doubled. ATP and NAD + changes, but not PCr changes, were nearly eliminated if PARP inhibitors accompanied the H 2 O 2 . Recovery with both pyruvate and glc was better than with glc alone, having higher ATP (0.161 versus 0.075, P < 0.01) and PCr levels (0.144 versus 0.078, P < 0.01), and higher viable cell counts in TUNEL and Fluoro-Jade B staining. Two-dimensional [ 1 H-13 C] HSQC spectra showed metabolism during recovery of 13 C glc or pyr. Pyruvate metabolism was primarily via pyruvate dehydrogenase, with some via pyruvate carboxylation. Pyruvate superfusion of PARPinjured brain slices helps replenish NAD + while providing metabolic fuel. Although this augments recovery, a strong antioxidant role for pyruvate has not been ruled out.