Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (Sep 2014)

Astrocytosis in parkinsonism: considering tripartite striatal synapses in physiopathology?

  • Giselle eCharron,
  • Evelyne eDoudnikoff,
  • Marie-Helene eCanron,
  • Qin eLi,
  • Celine eVega,
  • sebastien eMarais,
  • Jerome eBaufreton,
  • Anne eVital,
  • Stéphane H Oliet,
  • Erwan eBezard

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2014.00258
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6

Abstract

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The current concept of basal ganglia organization and function in physiological and pathophysiological conditions excludes the most numerous cells in the brain, i.e. the astrocytes, present with a ratio of 10:1 neuron. Their role in neurodegenerative condition such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) remains to be elucidated. Before embarking into physiological investigations of the yet-to-be-identified tripartite synapses in the basal ganglia in general and the striatum in particular, we therefore characterized anatomically the PD-related modifications in astrocytic morphology, the changes in astrocytic network connections and the consequences on the spatial relationship between astrocytic processes and asymmetric synapses in normal and PD-like conditions in experimental and human PD. Our results unravel a dramatic regulation of striatal astrocytosis supporting the hypothesis of a key role in (dys)regulating corticostriatal transmission. Astrocytes and their various properties might thus represent a therapeutic target in PD.

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