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THE ROLE OF ASTROCYTIC METABOTROPIC GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR 5 IN THE MEDIAL PREFRONTAL CORTEX
Samuel Alvesand 8 co-authors
Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho
FENS Forum 2026 (2026)
Barcelona, Spain
Board PS06-09PM-222
Presentation
Date TBA
Board: PS06-09PM-222
Event Information
Poster Board
PS06-09PM-222
Poster
View posterAbstract
Astrocytes have been identified as crucial players in the central nervous system, either by modulating synapses and neuronal networks or by maintaining brain homeostasis. Astrocytes were first shown to sense glutamate, the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, primarily via activation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5). Activation of astrocytic mGluR5 triggers somatic Ca2+ elevations that lead to the release of gliotransmitters, modulating synaptic activity in cortico-limbic regions critical for cognitive processing. However, most of the evidence was based on studies that examined the biological role of mGluR5 only in young rodents, often using in vitro or ex vivo approaches. Therefore, the impact of astrocytic mGluR5 on behavior in adult mice warrants further investigation. Preliminary data from our laboratory indicate that mGluR5 activation is important for cognitive processing in behavioral tasks that depend on the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. In this study, we used an adeno-associated virus to drive mGluR5 deletion specifically in astrocytes in the medial prefrontal cortex. The generated mouse model with regionally and temporally controlled deletion of astrocytic mGluR5 was then subjected to detailed behavioral characterization, including mood, cognition, and sociability.
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