For years neuroscientists have focused on the brain’s neurons as its principal creators of memory and thought. But what if the reason for our cognitive abilities isn’t in the electrical activity of ...

Major depressive disorder affects hundreds of millions worldwide, but a key to understanding its origins may lie in the brain ...

When astrocyte function is disrupted, neurons in the brain's motor cortex struggle to execute and refine motion, a new study in mice shows. Share: Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email.

The broad conclusion is that astrocyte function is tuned to social experiences.” Looking for a deeper understanding of the mechanism by which astrocytes of socially-isolated mice cause learning and ...

Although the astrocytes change their function in cases of depression and other mental illnesses, there is currently no drug that directly targets them. Demanding and difficult to research.

Astrocytes, brain cells previously thought to be support cells for neurons, ... Now their central function in controlling blood flow indicates that astrocytes deserve higher billing.

Pretty much everything happening in the brain would fail without astrocytes. These star-shaped glial cells are known to have a critical role in synapse creation, nervous tissue repair, and the ...

Serotonin is well known for its contribution to normal brain function as well as being involved in addiction and depression. “Here we discovered a new function of serotonin in astrocytes. Serotonin ...

Astrocytes play diverse roles in the brain such as supporting the functions of neurons, participating in synapse formation and function, releasing neurotransmitters and making the blood-brain barrier.

Altogether, the findings suggest that astrocyte development and function involve a complex pattern of events and proteins triggered by the activity of neurons and that operate in a region-specific ...