title: Modulation of Synaptic Plasticity by Glutamatergic Gliotransmission: A Modeling Study.
abstract: Glutamatergic gliotransmission, that is, the release of glutamate from perisynaptic astrocyte processes in an activity-dependent manner, has emerged as a potentially crucial signaling pathway for regulation of synaptic plasticity, yet its modes of expression and function in vivo remain unclear. Here, we focus on two experimentally well-identified gliotransmitter pathways, (i) modulations of synaptic release and (ii) postsynaptic slow inward currents mediated by glutamate released from astrocytes, and investigate their possible functional relevance on synaptic plasticity in a biophysical model of an astrocyte-regulated synapse. Our model predicts that both pathways could profoundly affect both short- and long-term plasticity. In particular, activity-dependent glutamate release from astrocytes could dramatically change spike-timing-dependent plasticity, turning potentiation into depression (and vice versa) for the same induction protocol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Project-Team BEAGLE, INRIA Rhône-Alpes, 60097 Villeurbanne, France.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Pittà
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Departments of Statistics and Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brunel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018698:Glutamic Acid