Deciphering the astrocytic contribution to learning and relearning
Lorenzo Squadrani, Carlos Wert-Carvajal, Daniel Müller-Komorowska, Kirsten Bohmbach, Christian Henneberger, Pietro Verzelli, Tatjana Tchumatchenko · FENS Forum 2024
Astrocytes play a key role in the regulation of synaptic strength and are thought to orchestrate synaptic plasticity and memory. Yet, how specifically astrocytes and their neuroactive transmitters control learning and memory is currently an open question. Recent experiments have uncovered an astrocyte-mediated feedback loop in CA1 pyramidal neurons which is started by the release of endocannabinoids by active neurons and closed by astrocytic regulation of the D-serine levels at the dendrites.D-serine is a co-agonist for the NMDA receptor regulating the strength and direction of synaptic plasti