Astroglia’s role in synchronized spontaneous neuronal activity: from physiology to pathology.
Publication Year:
2025
PubMed ID:
40177583
Funding Grants:
Public Summary:
The brain depends on a careful balance between signals that excite neurons and those that calm them down. When this balance is lost and neurons become overly active, it can lead to serious neurological problems, especially epilepsy. This review looks at what scientists know about bursts of synchronized brain activity—how they normally help the brain function and how they can become harmful. It highlights the growing realization that epilepsy is not just a “neuron problem.” Another type of brain cell, called astroglia, can also play a major role. Under certain conditions, astroglia can shift from supporting healthy brain activity to contributing to seizures and memory or thinking problems. Research in both animals and humans shows that astroglia activity often rises alongside seizure-like brain patterns, suggesting they may help trigger or shape these events. By better understanding how astroglia can both protect the brain and, in some cases, worsen disease, scientists hope to develop new and more effective treatments for epilepsy and related disorders.
Scientific Abstract:
The nervous system relies on a balance of excitatory and inhibitory signals. Aberrant neuronal hyperactivity is a pathological phenotype associated with several neurological disorders, with its most severe effects observed in epilepsy patients. This review explores the literature on spontaneous synchronized neuronal activity, its physiological role, and its aberrant forms in disease. Emphasizing the importance of targeting underlying disease mechanisms beyond traditional neuron-focused therapies, the review delves into the role of astroglia in epilepsy progression. We detail how astroglia transitions from a normal to a pathological state, leading to epileptogenic seizures and cognitive decline. Astroglia activity is correlated with epileptiform activity in both animal models and human tissue, indicating their potential role in seizure induction and modulation. Understanding astroglia's dual beneficial and detrimental roles could lead to novel treatments for epilepsy and other neurological disorders with aberrant neuronal activity as the underlying disease substrate.
