Memory Relies on Astrocytes, the Brain’s Lesser Known Cells Full article at neurosciencenews/astrocytes-memory-gamma-oscillations-neuroscience-1196/. In a study published July 28 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Salk researchers report a new, unexpected strategy to turn down gamma oscillations, by disabling not neurons but astrocytes—cells types traditionally thought to provide more of a support role in the brain. In the process, the team showed that astrocytes, and the gamma oscillations they help shape, are critical for some forms of memory. The research is in PNAS. (full access paywall) Research: “Astrocytes contribute to gamma oscillations and recognition memory” by Hosuk Sean Lee, Andrea Ghetti, António Pinto-Duarte, Xin Wang, Gustavo Dziewczapolski, Francesco Galimi, Salvador Huitron-Resendiz, Juan C. Piña-Crespo, Amanda J. Roberts, Inder M. Verma, Terrence J. Sejnowski, and Stephen F. Heinemann in PNAS. doi:10.1073/pnas.1410893111 Image: The results were surprising, in part because astrocytes operate on a seconds- or longer timescale whereas neurons signal far faster, on the millisecond scale. Because of that slower speed, no one suspected astrocytes were involved in the high-speed brain activity needed to make quick decisions. Credit Salk Institute. #neuroscience #memory
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 20:53:44 +0000
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