Astrocytes Prepare the Brain to Shift Focus

In a new study conducted by Johns Hopkins University, researchers found that the star-shaped brain cells surrounding a mouse’s neurons (astrocytes) can monitor and respond to nearby neural activity, but only after being activated by the fight-or-flight chemical norepinephrine. Additionally, because astrocytes can alter the activity of neurons, the findings suggest that astrocytes may help control the brain’s ability to focus. “Astrocytes are among the most abundant cells in the brain, but we know very little about how they are controlled and how they contribute to brain function,” says the professor of neuroscience who led the study. “Since memory formation and other important functions of the brain require a state of attention, we’re interested in learning more about how astrocytes help create that state.” The ability to study astrocyte network activity in animals as they do different things will help to reveal how these cells contribute to brain function. To read more about this study, click here.