Astrocytes as Context-Specific Regulators of Memory in Health and Disease

Abstract

Dr. Orr will discuss emerging studies revealing that astrocytes have context-dependent and precise roles in neurocognitive function and in neural deficits associated with dementia. Changes in astrocytic receptor signaling modulates memory in a bidirectional manner and these effects are highly dependent on biological sex. In disease, astrocytic proteinopathy can induce memory loss through selective and regionspecific changes in astrocytic neuroimmune pathways that target key synaptic functions. Together, these studies and other work in the field are redefining astrocytes as precise and dynamic modulators of neurocognitive processes.