The discovery of neuronal activity-dependent calcium transients in astrocytes has driven the conceptualization of these cells as computational units in the nervous system. Tripartite synapses, ...

The link between Alzheimer’s disease and amyloid plaques is well documented, with innumerable studies exploring techniques and therapies to inhibit plaque formation, preventing development or ...

In the brain, highly specific connections called synapses link nerve cells and transmit electrical signals in a targeted manner. Despite decades of research, how synapses form during brain development ...

The ability to regrow lost synapses can be life changing; for Derek Small, cofounder and CEO of the start-up Syndeio Biosciences, it holds personal relevance. Around a decade ago, Small watched his ...

Human karyotype of Down syndrome. Autosomal abnormalities. Trisomy 21. [Rujirat Boonyong/Getty Images] Faulty brain circuits seen in Down syndrome may be caused by the lack of a particular molecule ...

“This study is really exciting because it serves as proof-of-concept that we can target astrocytes, a cell type in the brain specialized for secreting synapse-modulating molecules, to rewire the brain ...

A study by Dorothy P. Schafer, PhD, and Travis E. Faust, PhD, at UMass Chan Medical School, explains how two different cell types in the brain—astrocytes and microglia—communicate in response to ...

A collaborative French–Swiss study reveals a previously unknown role for astrocytes in the brain's information processing. Published in the journal Cell, the research shows that these glial cells are ...

Astrocytes are found throughout the brain. Each astrocyte is in contact with several neurons and more than 100'000 synapses. A new study shows that, at the microscopic level, dozens of synapses from ...

Recent work has revealed some of the many crucial functions of astrocytes, brain cells that were once thought to play primarily supportive roles for neurons. Astrocytes do handle debris around neurons ...

Neurons are the most well-known cells in the brain but they are not the only type of cell in this organ. The other main type is the glial cells, also known as neuroglia. Glia comes from the Greek word ...