Astrocytes contribute to gamma oscillations and recognition memory

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1410893111
• Publication Date: 2014-07-29T06:39:50Z
• Authors: Hosuk Sean Lee; Andrea Ghetti; António Pinto-Duarte; Xin Wang; Gustavo Dziewczap...; Francesco Galimi; Salvador Huitron-...; Juan C. Piña-Crespo; Amanda J. Roberts; Inder M. Verma; Terrence J. Sejno...; Stephen F. Heinemann
• Keywords: glia; 1.1 Normal biological development and functioning; Biological Psychology; Medical Physiology; Models, Neurological; Gene Expression; Glutamic Acid; Mice, Transgenic; Inbred C57BL; Basic Behavioral and Social Science; Hippocampus; Synaptic Transmission; Transgenic; Tissue Culture Techniques; Mice; Tetanus Toxin; Underpinning research; Models; Behavioral and Social Science; Psychology; 2.1 Biological and endogenous factors; Animals; Calcium Signaling; Aetiology; alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid; gliotransmitter; Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; Neurosciences; Metalloendopeptidases; Electroencephalography; Recognition, Psychology; electroencephalogram; network oscillation; Brain Waves; Recombinant Proteins; Brain Disorders; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Recognition; Mental Health; glial fibrillary acidic protein; Astrocytes; Neurological; Mental health; Carbachol; Nerve Net

Significance Astrocytes are well placed to modulate neural activity. However, the functions typically attributed astrocytes associated with a temporal dimension significantly slower than timescale of synaptic transmission neurons. Consequently, it has been assumed that do not play major role in modulating fast network dynamics known underlie cognitive behavior. By creating transgenic mouse which vesicular release from can be reversibly blocked, we found necessary for novel object recognition behavior and maintain functional gamma oscillations both vitro awake-behaving animals. Our findings reveal an unexpected information processing cognition.