Here is an important reason to stay in touch with friends and family: social isolation causes memory and learning deficits and other behavioral changes. Many brain studies have focused on the effects ...

Researchers have uncovered novel aspects of astrocyte function in olfactory, or smell, perception revealing changes in their gene expression patterns that turn these brain cells into a hub of ...

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine reveal that astrocytes, the most abundant cells in the brain, play a direct role in the regulation of neuronal circuits involved in learning and memory. The ...

Astrocytes are integral constituents of the central nervous system, serving roles that extend far beyond mere structural support. These specialised glial cells are crucial for maintaining homeostasis, ...

Astrocytes are star-shaped glial cells with many functions which include providing nutrient support to neurons, helping repair damage to nervous system tissue, regulating connectivity of brain ...

In the brains of adult mice, communication through astrocyte networks controls the formation of spatial memories and plasticity in the hippocampus, a new study led by scientists at the Institute of ...

In the brain, neurons and astrocytes work together to process information and enable complex behavior and cognitive abilities. Astrocytes have many functions like controlling the blood-brain barrier, ...

Obesity is a global health problem, and research has shown that diets that are high in fats and sugars are a major contributor to this problem. Scientists have now shown that brain cells called ...

Delivering a connection-building protein to star-shaped cells in the brain could reverse changes to neural circuits seen in ...

In animal models, social isolation triggers memory and learning deficits that are mediated by hyperactivity of the most abundant brain cell, the astrocyte. Importantly, inhibiting this hyperactivity ...