Neuron-glia networks: integral gear of brain function
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fncel-08-00378.pdf
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571.62 KB
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Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
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Author(s)
Perea, Gertrudis
Araque, Alfonso
Sur, Mriganka
Date Issued
November 2014
Journal
Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
Publisher
Frontiers Research Foundation
Citation
Perea, Gertrudis et al. "Neuron-glia networks: integral gear of brain function." Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 8 (November 2014): 378 © 2014 Perea, Sur and Araque
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Astrocytes, the most abundant glial cell in the brain, play critical roles in metabolic and homeostatic functions of the Nervous System; however, their participation in coding information and cognitive processes has been largely ignored. The strategic position of astrocyte processes facing synapses and the astrocyte ability to uptake neurotransmitters and release neuroactive substances, so-called “gliotransmitters”, provide the scenario for prolific neuron-astrocyte signaling. From studies at single-cell level to animal behavior, recent advances in technology and genetics have revealed the impact of astrocyte activity in brain function from cellular and synaptic physiology, neuronal circuits to behavior. The present review critically discusses the consequences of astrocyte signaling on synapses and networks, as well as its impact on neuronal information processing, showing that some crucial brain functions arise from the coordinated activity of neuron-glia networks.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
Terms of Use
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2014.00378
