Non-neuronal glial cells occupy about half of the brain but they are still much less studied than neurons. The most abundant glial cells in the nervous system are the astrocytes which are known for their highly complex morphology. Recently we have learned that astrocytes have an important role not only in providing metabolic and homeostatic support for neurons, but also in participating directly in the information processing and plasticity in the brain. To address the involvement of astrocytes in synaptic transmission and plasticity, it is crucial to better understand their complex morphology and anatomical organization in addition to their functions and bidirectional signals between neurons and astrocytes. This is possible through intensive integration of experimental data and computational modeling. This project will strive to find out general principles underlying information transfer in synapses in two brain areas, hippocampal and somatosensory cortices.

2023

2027