A perspective on astrocyte regulation of neural circuit function and animal behavior. Issue 8 (17th March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hirrlinger, Johannes; Nimmerjahn, Axel
• Other Names: Hirrlinger (Germany) Johannes guestEditor.; Nimmerjahn (USA) Axel guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Glia. Volume 70:Issue 8(2022)
• Page Start: 1554
• Page End: 1580
• Publication Date: 2022-03-17
• Subjects: actuator -- astrocytes -- behavior -- computational approaches -- genetic targeting -- indicator -- neural circuit; Neuroglia -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; 611.0188
• DOI: 10.1002/glia.24168
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0894-1491

Abstract

Abstract: Studies over the past two decades have demonstrated that astrocytes are tightly associated with neurons and play pivotal roles in neural circuit development, operation, and adaptation in health and disease. Nevertheless, precisely how astrocytes integrate diverse neuronal signals, modulate neural circuit structure and function at multiple temporal and spatial scales, and influence animal behavior or disease through aberrant excitation and molecular output remains unclear. This Perspective discusses how new and state‐of‐the‐art approaches, including fluorescence indicators, opto‐ and chemogenetic actuators, genetic targeting tools, quantitative behavioral assays, and computational methods, might help resolve these longstanding questions. It also addresses complicating factors in interpreting astrocytes' role in neural circuit regulation and animal behavior, such as their heterogeneity, metabolism, and inter‐glial communication. Research on these questions should provide a deeper mechanistic understanding of astrocyte‐neuron assemblies' role in neural circuit function, complex behaviors, and disease. Main Points: Astrocytes encode neural circuit activity and behavioral variables. New tools allow interrogation of astrocyte‐neuron assembly function in relation to behavior. Neural circuit‐specific control and inter‐glial communication are emergent areas of study.