title: Astrocyte-neuron interactions: from experimental research-based models to translational medicine.
abstract: In this chapter, we review the principal astrocyte functions and the interactions between neurons and astrocytes. We then address how the experimentally observed functions have been verified in computational models and review recent experimental literature on astrocyte-neuron interactions. Benefits of computational neuroscience work are highlighted through selected studies with neurons and astrocytes by analyzing the existing models qualitatively and assessing the relevance of these models to experimental data. Common strategies to mathematical modeling and computer simulation in neuroscience are summarized for the nontechnical reader. The astrocyte-neuron interactions are then further illustrated by examples of some neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, where the miscommunication between glia and neurons is found to be increasingly important.
authors.affiliation: Computational Neuroscience Group, Department of Signal Processing, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Marja-Leena
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Linne
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, St. George's University, School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies.
authors.forename: Tuula O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Jalonen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D002450:Cell Communication; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
keywords: Astrocyte network; Astrocyte–neuron interaction; Calcium signaling; Computational modeling; Glia; Neurodegeneration; Neurological disorders; Neuron; Neuronal network; Simulation