About this Research Topic
It has been well documented that glial cells play an important role in brain function. They are involved in neuron-glia interactions, in the operation of the neuron-glia-vascular unit, and in interactions among different types of glial cells. However, each of these phenomena represents a particular case of orchestrated interactions within the brain active milieu, a concept that considers the involvement of all brain cells (neurons, glial cells, cells of blood vessels) and non-cellular elements (extracellular space and extracellular matrix) in cognitive functions and behavior.
One of the key elements of brain active milieu is astrocytes. Several studies provided direct evidence of the involvement of astrocyte signaling in cognitive functions and behavior. However, in many cases, the understanding of astrocytic involvement is still incomplete. Now that we better understand the molecular components of astrocyte-neuron interactions, the new challenge is to investigate how they integrate at the network and physiological levels. To address this question, novel, bio-inspired, and detailed computational models should be developed to simulate the information processing through the coordinated activity of both astrocytes and neurons.
Individual astrocytes form large-scale networks via coupling through gap junctions. Ca2+ events (waves) can spread through the complex structure of astrocytic syncytia. Astrocytes provide an extradimensional influence over neuronal networks by a multiscale spatiotemporal integration of neural activity and can produce higher-order organization of the information coding. Further studies will also be essential to identify links between the appearance of specific astrocytic Ca2+ patterns and animal behavior, location in space, emotional state, and memory acquisition.
However, astrocytes are not the only critical players involved in dynamic interaction with neurons in information processing and storage. Apart from astrocytes, other non-neuronal cells of active milieu such as microglia and oligodendrocytes also modulate the neural network excitability and synaptic transmission. Astrocytes both interact with these cells and operate in synergy. Additionally, astrocytes participate in the formation and function of the neuron-glia-vascular unit. Astrocytic calcium and metabolic activity correlate with vasomotion. It was shown recently that astrocytes are physiological sensors of brain perfusion and contribute to the homeostatic control of cerebral and systemic circulation. Astrocytic morphological remodeling can be linked to the dynamic changes in the extracellular space, where astrocytes secrete components of the extracellular matrix.
Thus, astrocytic calcium and metabolic activity, morphological remodeling, and secretion affect multiple processes in the brain active milieu. For a long time, both experimental and theoretical studies focused on specific types of interactions (e.g. within the multipartite synapse, neuron-glia-vascular unit etc). A more inclusive approach with the combination of different experimental and theoretical methods, including the theory of networks of dynamical systems and computational modeling, may be key to uncovering the secrets of the contribution of different nervous tissue elements to higher brain functions such as learning and memory. In this Research Topic, we encourage manuscript submissions dedicated to novel discoveries in astrocyte physiology within the brain active milieu using different experimental and theoretical approaches.
We welcome the submission of original research articles, reviews, and commentaries.
This Research Topic was formed in collaboration with the Third International Summer Institute of Network Physiology (ISINP 2022).
KL holds shares in AstroZeneca, Siemens Health AG, BioNTech SE, Bayer AG, Roche Holding AG, and Illumina Inc. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject
One of the key elements of brain active milieu is astrocytes. Several studies provided direct evidence of the involvement of astrocyte signaling in cognitive functions and behavior. However, in many cases, the understanding of astrocytic involvement is still incomplete. Now that we better understand the molecular components of astrocyte-neuron interactions, the new challenge is to investigate how they integrate at the network and physiological levels. To address this question, novel, bio-inspired, and detailed computational models should be developed to simulate the information processing through the coordinated activity of both astrocytes and neurons.
Individual astrocytes form large-scale networks via coupling through gap junctions. Ca2+ events (waves) can spread through the complex structure of astrocytic syncytia. Astrocytes provide an extradimensional influence over neuronal networks by a multiscale spatiotemporal integration of neural activity and can produce higher-order organization of the information coding. Further studies will also be essential to identify links between the appearance of specific astrocytic Ca2+ patterns and animal behavior, location in space, emotional state, and memory acquisition.
However, astrocytes are not the only critical players involved in dynamic interaction with neurons in information processing and storage. Apart from astrocytes, other non-neuronal cells of active milieu such as microglia and oligodendrocytes also modulate the neural network excitability and synaptic transmission. Astrocytes both interact with these cells and operate in synergy. Additionally, astrocytes participate in the formation and function of the neuron-glia-vascular unit. Astrocytic calcium and metabolic activity correlate with vasomotion. It was shown recently that astrocytes are physiological sensors of brain perfusion and contribute to the homeostatic control of cerebral and systemic circulation. Astrocytic morphological remodeling can be linked to the dynamic changes in the extracellular space, where astrocytes secrete components of the extracellular matrix.
Thus, astrocytic calcium and metabolic activity, morphological remodeling, and secretion affect multiple processes in the brain active milieu. For a long time, both experimental and theoretical studies focused on specific types of interactions (e.g. within the multipartite synapse, neuron-glia-vascular unit etc). A more inclusive approach with the combination of different experimental and theoretical methods, including the theory of networks of dynamical systems and computational modeling, may be key to uncovering the secrets of the contribution of different nervous tissue elements to higher brain functions such as learning and memory. In this Research Topic, we encourage manuscript submissions dedicated to novel discoveries in astrocyte physiology within the brain active milieu using different experimental and theoretical approaches.
We welcome the submission of original research articles, reviews, and commentaries.
This Research Topic was formed in collaboration with the Third International Summer Institute of Network Physiology (ISINP 2022).
KL holds shares in AstroZeneca, Siemens Health AG, BioNTech SE, Bayer AG, Roche Holding AG, and Illumina Inc. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject
Keywords: Astrocytic networks, neuron-astrocyte network, calcium signaling, synaptic activity, brain circuit, computational model in silico, gliotransmission, extrasynaptic signaling, network physiology
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