Nirva Institute · Astrocytes · Communication & Networks
Astrocytes and Synaptic Plasticity
How the environment around a synapse shapes its strength.
Plasticity — the ability of synapses to strengthen or weaken over time — is the biological substrate of learning. Astrocytes participate in this process at multiple levels.
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Astrocyte contributions to LTP and LTD
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Metabolic and structural support
Astrocytes provide metabolic substrates required for plasticity and contribute to structural remodelling of the perisynaptic environment.181
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Open questions
The extent to which astrocytes are causally required for specific forms of learning remains actively investigated.
Scientific References
Primary literature
AMA numeric style. Citation numbers are unified across the Nirva Life ecosystem — the same number refers to the same reference across every library article. Full registry is anchored in the Cornerstone Paper.
- 181.Santello M, Toni N, Volterra A. Astrocyte function from information processing to cognition and cognitive impairment. Nat Neurosci. 2019;22(2):154-166. PubMed ↗
- 185.Araque A, Carmignoto G, Haydon PG, Oliet SHR, Robitaille R, Volterra A. Gliotransmitters travel in time and space. Neuron. 2014;81(4):728-739. PubMed ↗
- 197.Papouin T, Dunphy J, Tolman M, Foley JC, Haydon PG. Astrocytic control of synaptic function. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2017;372(1715):20160154. PubMed ↗
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