Astrocytes at the basis of cortical dysfunction in multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that involves cortical pathology and leads to cognitive deficits in 30-90% of the patients.
A new study published in Brain, Behavior and Immunity demonstrates that the inflammatory microenvironment that characterizes multiple sclerosis causes spontaneous hyperactivity of cortical astrocytes leading to exacerbated excitatory transmission and deregulation of synaptic plasticity mechanisms at the basis of memory and learning in this anatomical region. This research reveals novel mechanisms of cortical dysfunction that result from the pathogenic transformation of astroglial cells during autoimmune demyelination and paves the way to the development of innovative therapies targeting cortical dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Andrés M Baraibar and Teresa Colomer from the Laboratory Endocannabinoids and Neuroglial Cells at ACHUCARRO, UPV/EHU and the IIS Biobizkaia participate as co-authors in this work led by Susana Mato and carried out in collaboration with researchers from the Neurocentre Magendie (Bordeaux) and the University of Minnesota (USA).
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