title: Astrocytosis in parkinsonism: considering tripartite striatal synapses in physiopathology?
abstract: The current concept of basal ganglia organization and function in physiological and pathophysiological conditions excludes the most numerous cells in the brain, i.e., the astrocytes, present with a ratio of 10:1 neuron. Their role in neurodegenerative condition such as Parkinson's disease (PD) remains to be elucidated. Before embarking into physiological investigations of the yet-to-be-identified "tripartite" synapses in the basal ganglia in general and the striatum in particular, we therefore characterized anatomically the PD-related modifications in astrocytic morphology, the changes in astrocytic network connections and the consequences on the spatial relationship between astrocytic processes and asymmetric synapses in normal and PD-like conditions in experimental and human PD. Our results unravel a dramatic regulation of striatal astrocytosis supporting the hypothesis of a key role in (dys) regulating corticostriatal transmission. Astrocytes and their various properties might thus represent a therapeutic target in PD.
authors.affiliation: Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université de Bordeaux, UMR 5293 Bordeaux, France ; CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293 Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Giselle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Charron
authors.affiliation: Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université de Bordeaux, UMR 5293 Bordeaux, France ; CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293 Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Doudnikoff
authors.affiliation: Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université de Bordeaux, UMR 5293 Bordeaux, France ; CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293 Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Helene
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Canron
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293 Bordeaux, France ; UFR Sciences de la Vie, University Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC) Paris, France.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Véga
authors.affiliation: Bordeaux Imaging Center, UMS 3420, Université de Bordeaux Bordeaux, France ; CNRS, Bordeaux Imaging Center, UMS 3420 Bordeaux, France ; INSERM, Bordeaux Imaging Center, US 004 Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Sebastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marais
authors.affiliation: Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université de Bordeaux, UMR 5293 Bordeaux, France ; CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293 Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baufreton
authors.affiliation: Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université de Bordeaux, UMR 5293 Bordeaux, France ; CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293 Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vital
authors.affiliation: Neurocentre Magendie, U862, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Stéphane H R
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Oliet
authors.affiliation: Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université de Bordeaux, UMR 5293 Bordeaux, France ; CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293 Bordeaux, France ; Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Erwan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bezard
keywords: astrocyte; dopamine; human; immunohistochemistry; medium spiny neuron; monkey; mouse; rat