Nirva Institute · Astrocytes · Communication & Networks
Astrocytes as Information Processors
A cell type that computes on a slower clock.
The description of astrocytes as information processors is technical, not metaphorical. Astrocytes integrate calcium-encoded signals across their processes and produce outputs that shape neural network behavior.
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Local computation
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Networks of astrocytes
Astrocytes are coupled via gap junctions into networks that can propagate signals across brain regions.186
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.
- 180.Khakh BS, Deneen B. The emerging nature of astrocyte diversity. Annu Rev Neurosci. 2019;42:187-207. PubMed ↗
- 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 ↗
- 186.Halassa MM, Haydon PG. Integrated brain circuits: astrocytic networks modulate neuronal activity and behavior. Annu Rev Physiol. 2010;72:335-355. PubMed ↗
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