Tag

Astrocytes

All articles tagged with #astrocytes

science14 days ago•6 min saved

Astrocyte Nuclei Travel to Rebuild Damaged Brain Networks

Researchers at the University of Zurich identified a novel regenerative mechanism in the adult brain: specialized perilesional astrocytes do not rely solely on local division but instead generate nuclei that migrate along long astrocytic extensions into the injury core, repopulating damaged tissue and rebuilding functional networks. Using in vivo two-photon microscopy and longitudinal gene mapping in mice, they mapped activated genes and signaling pathways that could be therapeutic targets to enhance repair after traumatic brain injury and autoimmune conditions like NMOSD. This challenges the long-held view of limited glial regeneration and suggests new avenues for brain repair therapies.

via Neuroscience News|

#astrocytes #brain-regeneration #nmosd

science22 days ago•2 min saved

Astrocytes unleash brain cleanup to clear Alzheimer's plaques in mice

A Baylor College of Medicine study shows boosting Sox9 in aging astrocytes increases MEGF10-mediated phagocytosis, leading to clear amyloid plaques and preserved cognition in Alzheimer's-model mice for six months; when Sox9 is knocked down, plaques accumulate faster and memory worsens, suggesting astrocyte-driven clearance as a potential therapy—yet human applicability remains unproven.

via Futura, le média qui explore le monde|

#alzheimers-disease #amyloid-plaques #astrocytes

science23 days ago•9 min saved

REM Dreams Hint at a Hidden Brain Energy Paradox

A mouse study from Tohoku University shows that during REM sleep, blood flow and astrocyte-derived fuel rise, but neuronal ATP declines, suggesting energy delivery and usage are temporarily out of sync as dreaming triggers intense brain activity. This energy mismatch means more blood flow doesn’t automatically boost usable energy, and the brain may reorganize energy flow to support internal processing and memory, helping explain why dreaming can feel tiring and how sleep maintains neural efficiency.

via SciTechDaily|

#astrocytes #atp #brain-metabolism

science2 months ago•13 min saved

Astrocytes Could Be the Brain’s Hidden Memory Engine

MIT researchers propose astrocyte tripartite synapses as computational units that could enable memory storage beyond neuron-to-neuron networks, using a dense associative memory framework. In this view, neuron–astrocyte networks might store far more memories, with capacity scaling with network size, potentially explaining why human memory has no known upper limit. The model is theoretical and awaits experimental testing, challenging the traditional neuron-first view of memory storage.

via Space Daily|

#astrocytes #dense-associative-memory #hopfield-network

health-and-medicine3 months ago•7 min saved

Astrocyte boost clears Alzheimer’s plaques and protects memory in mice

Researchers increased Sox9 to heighten astrocyte activity in mouse models of Alzheimer's, promoting the clearance of amyloid plaques and preserving cognitive function, suggesting a therapy that harnesses the brain’s own support cells to slow dementia progression.

via ScienceDaily|

#alzheimers-disease #amyloid-plaques #astrocytes

science4 months ago•5 min saved

Astrocyte networks reveal the brain's hidden long-range highways

Researchers created a whole-brain 3D map showing that star-shaped astrocytes form extensive, long-distance networks via gap junctions, enabling inter-regional exchange of molecules and displaying plasticity—revealing a hidden, neuron-independent communication substrate that reshapes our understanding of brain organization.

via Nature|

#astrocytes #brain-mapping #brain-networks

health4 months ago•4 min saved

Astrocytes as the Brain's Clean-Up Crew Could Transform Alzheimer's Therapy

New preclinical work shows astrocytes, when their autophagy pathway is boosted (LC3B/SQSTM1), can clear beta-amyloid in the hippocampus, reducing inflammation and protecting neurons—hinting at a glia-first Alzheimer's therapy. While promising, translating this to humans will require precise delivery, safety assessments, and biomarkers, with trials likely pairing glial agents with other anti-amyloid or anti-inflammatory treatments.

via Iowa Park Leader|

#alzheimers-disease #astrocytes #autophagy

science5 months ago•6 min saved

CAR-astrocytes: engineered brain cells purge Alzheimer's plaques in mice with one injection

Researchers engineered astrocytes to express a CAR targeting amyloid beta, turning them into brain “super cleaners.” In mice, a single gene-therapy injection either prevented plaque formation when given early or reduced existing amyloid plaques by ~50%, signaling a potential new immunotherapy approach for Alzheimer's—though safety and human trials remain to be established.

via ScienceAlert|

#alzheimers-disease #amyloid-beta #astrocytes

health-and-medicine6 months ago•5 min saved

Inflamed brains may turn compulsions into deliberate choices

A rat study from the University of Technology Sydney links inflammation in the striatum, driven by astrocytes, to more deliberate, goal-directed compulsive actions—challenging the view that compulsions are automatic habits and pointing to anti-inflammatory treatments as potential therapies.

via ScienceDaily|

#astrocytes #brain-inflammation #compulsive-behavior

health7 months ago•2 min saved

Hidden Genetic Switches in 'Junk' DNA May Trigger Alzheimer's

Researchers have identified over 150 DNA control signals in brain cells called astrocytes that may influence Alzheimer's disease, using CRISPRi to study enhancer regions in non-coding DNA, which could lead to new insights and potential treatments for the disease.

via ScienceAlert|

#alzheimers #astrocytes #dna-switches

science7 months ago•3 min saved

Protein Restoration May Rewire Brain in Down Syndrome

Research shows that delivering the protein pleiotrophin (Ptn) to astrocytes in the brain can reverse neural connection and activity changes in mouse models of Down syndrome, suggesting potential for future therapies targeting brain wiring in neurodevelopmental disorders.

via PsyPost|

#astrocytes #brain-rewiring #down-syndrome

science8 months ago•5 min saved

New Brain Cell Discovery Could Revolutionize Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

Scientists at Cedars-Sinai discovered a new role for astrocytes, called lesion-remote astrocytes (LRAs), which communicate with immune cells to clear debris and promote repair in spinal cord injuries, potentially leading to new treatments for neurological diseases.

via SciTechDaily|

#astrocytes #brain-injury #immune-signaling

neuroscience8 months ago•109 min saved

Astrocyte CCN1 Enhances Stability of Adult Neural Circuits

The study identifies astrocyte-secreted CCN1 as a key factor in maintaining neural circuit stability in the adult brain, particularly in the visual cortex, by regulating synaptic maturation, inhibitory neuron development, and oligodendrocyte maturation, thereby restricting plasticity and preserving functional connectivity.

via Nature|

#astrocytes #ccn1 #neural-circuit-stability

neuroscience8 months ago•104 min saved

Astrocytes Remote from Lesions Regulate Microglia in White Matter Repair

The study reveals that lesion-remote astrocytes (LRAs) in the injured spinal cord adopt distinct molecular states that regulate microglia-mediated white matter repair, primarily through CCN1 secretion, which influences microglial lipid metabolism, debris clearance, and neurological recovery. Loss of astrocyte-derived CCN1 impairs debris clearance and functional recovery, positioning LRAs as key orchestrators in CNS repair processes.

via Nature|

#astrocytes #ccn1 #cns-injury

science8 months ago•8 min saved

Revealing the Brain's Hidden Astrocyte Cells and Their Role in Behavior and Health

Recent research reveals that astrocytes, once considered support cells, play crucial roles in shaping behavior, memory, and health by regulating the environment around neurons, influencing brain functions such as circadian rhythms and memory encoding, and potentially contributing to neurological diseases.

via Nature|

#astrocytes #brain-cells #brain-health