title: Astrocytes: Orchestrating synaptic plasticity?
abstract: Synaptic plasticity is the capacity of a preexisting connection between two neurons to change in strength as a function of neural activity. Because synaptic plasticity is the major candidate mechanism for learning and memory, the elucidation of its constituting mechanisms is of crucial importance in many aspects of normal and pathological brain function. In particular, a prominent aspect that remains debated is how the plasticity mechanisms, that encompass a broad spectrum of temporal and spatial scales, come to play together in a concerted fashion. Here we review and discuss evidence that pinpoints to a possible non-neuronal, glial candidate for such orchestration: the regulation of synaptic plasticity by astrocytes.
authors: Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; EPI BEAGLE, INRIA Rhône-Alpes, Villeurbanne, France. Electronic address: mauriziodepitta@gmail.com.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: De Pittà
authors: Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Statistics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Brunel
authors: Département de Neurosciences Fondamentales, Université de Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: Andrea.Volterra@unil.ch.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Volterra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
keywords: astrocyte; gliotransmission; synaptic plasticity