Astrocytes Found to Drive Brain Rewiring During Attention States

Astrocytes found to drive brain rewiring during attention states

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have upended decades-old dogma of how connections between brain cells are rearranged during states of heightened vigilance or attention.

An overlooked cell type orchestrates brain rewiring during states of heightened attention

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have upended the decades-old dogma of how connections between brain cells are rearranged during states of heightened vigilance or attention. The team found that a brain chemical associated with alertness, attention and learning alters brain connectivity and function not by acting directly on neurons, the cells known for their quick transmission of information, but through the w…

Astrocytes Take Center Stage in Brain Function and Behavior

Long thought to be mere support cells, astrocytes are now shown to play a powerful, dynamic role in regulating brain function and behavior. New research in fruit flies and rodents reveals that astrocytes don’t just support neurons—they selectively respond to neurotransmitters and influence which neural signals are prioritized.

Unsung Cell Type Drives Brain Rewiring Breakthrough

In a groundbreaking revelation that challenges long-standing neuroscience paradigms, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have uncovered a novel mechanism by which norepinephrine—a critical neuromodulator—exerts its influence on brain circuitry. Contrary to the conventional belief that norepinephrine acts directly on neurons, this study illuminates the indispensable role of astrocytes, a type of glial cell previously relegated…