The discovery of a clear, synaptic-like microvesicle in the adult hippocampal astrocyte, by Andrea Volterra's group at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, provided the framework for understanding ...

We will begin by highlighting a subset of the many cellular functions of astrocytes, focusing specifically on those functions that have the most relevance to neurodegeneration (Figure 1). Other ...

Star cells in the brain render memory flexible. Hippocampal astrocytes co-release D-serine and glutamate for the regulation of synaptic plasticity and cognitive flexibility. "The measure of ...

Astrocytes, small star-shaped cells, play an important role in signal transmission in the brain. Since the protein Ezrin is found abundantly in astrocyte tendrils, it is presumed to play a role in ...

The suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus is the master clock of the body. This small nucleus at the base of the brain orchestrates the daily behavioral and physiological rhythms of the human ...

When astrocyte function is disrupted, neurons in the brain's motor cortex struggle to execute and refine motion, a new study in mice shows. From steering a car to swinging a tennis racket, we learn to ...

Neuroscientists from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) report in Science Advances that star-shaped brain cells known as astrocytes can "turn off" neurons involved in relapse to heroin.

The potential effects of astrocyte dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases are summarized in Figure 2. AD is characterized clinically by cognitive loss in two or more domains, including memory, ...

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change” - Albert Einstein As we live in a dynamically changing environment, it is important for our brain to not only learn new things but also to modify ...