#astrocytes — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #astrocytes, aggregated by home.social.
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DATE: August 16, 2026 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Scientists uncover an energy paradox in the brain during REM sleep
URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-uncover-an-energy-paradox-in-the-brain-during-rem-sleep/
A recent study published in Communications Biology provides evidence that the brain manages its energy resources in surprisingly different ways depending on whether it is in a deep sleep or a dreaming state. By monitoring live brains, scientists observed that during rapid eye movement sleep, the brain receives a surge of blood and energy nutrients, yet the actual energy levels inside neurons drop. This indicates that the sleeping brain might prioritize complex memory processing or biological protection over maintaining steady energy reserves.
The brain requires a constant supply of energy to process information and maintain basic biological functions. When a neuron fires an electrical signal, it alters the balance of charged ions across its cellular membrane. Restoring this balance requires massive amounts of energy to power specialized molecular pumps. This energy is primarily delivered through the bloodstream in the form of glucose.
Once inside the brain, glucose is taken up directly by neurons or by star-shaped support cells called astrocytes. Astrocytes convert glucose into a molecule called pyruvate, which acts as a stepping stone to produce adenosine triphosphate, commonly known as ATP. ATP is the primary chemical fuel that powers cells. Under normal waking conditions, the supply of these energy substrates usually matches the brain’s activity levels.
During sleep, the brain remains highly active, sorting memories and restoring biological systems. Sleep is broadly divided into non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, characterized by deep, slow brain waves, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, a state marked by faster brain waves and vivid dreaming. The authors wanted to understand exactly how the brain distributes its limited metabolic resources across these distinct physiological states.
“REM sleep is a paradoxical state: the body is deeply relaxed, but the brain is remarkably active,” explains Ko Matsui, a professor of super-network brain physiology at the Graduate School of Life Sciences at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan. “That made us wonder what happens to the brain’s energy system during this unusual state.”
Matsui notes that because REM sleep involves vivid dreaming and intense electrical activity, the team suspected its metabolic demands would reflect that intensity. “With new fluorescence imaging approaches, we were able to observe blood volume and energy-related molecules across large areas of the brain and ask how they change as the brain shifts between non-REM and REM sleep,” Matsui said.
To track these metabolic changes, the researchers observed the brains of 15 live male mice. They used genetically modified animals that expressed fluorescent sensors, allowing the team to visually measure ATP levels inside neurons and pyruvate levels inside astrocytes. The scientists applied a transparent UV-curable resin to the animals’ intact skulls to maintain visibility. This technique avoided invasive surgeries that might disrupt natural blood flow or alter intracranial pressure.
The researchers then placed the animals under wide-field fluorescence microscopes to simultaneously monitor brain blood volume, pyruvate, and ATP. They recorded the animals for several hours as the mice naturally transitioned through different sleep and wake states. Electrical monitors attached to the skull and neck muscles allowed the team to precisely identify when the mice were awake, in NREM sleep, or in REM sleep based on their brain waves and muscle relaxation.
During NREM sleep, the researchers observed a tight coordination between electrical brain activity and energy delivery. Specific electrical patterns, known as theta-band brain waves, reliably predicted changes in brain blood volume about four to five seconds in advance. In this deep sleep phase, blood volume fluctuated in fast waves that swept from the front of the brain to the back in about one second.
By dividing the images of the cortex into a grid, the researchers mapped how different brain regions synchronized their blood flow. During NREM sleep, the blood volume changes were somewhat localized. The cortex partitioned into multiple distinct functional clusters, suggesting an organized system that adjusts local blood flow to anticipate the energetic needs of specific resting brain circuits.
The metabolic environment shifted drastically as the mice transitioned into REM sleep. About 50 seconds before the official onset of REM sleep, brain blood volume began to surge. This large-scale increase originated in the posterior regions of the brain and slowly propagated forward over 15 seconds. During REM sleep, the localized, fast fluctuations diminished, and the brain experienced a massive wave of blood volume that synchronized broad swaths of the cerebral cortex.
Once REM sleep fully commenced, blood volume remained elevated, and the levels of pyruvate in astrocytes increased accordingly. Under normal circumstances, an increase in blood flow and intermediate nutrients like pyruvate would be expected to boost cellular energy. But the researchers found that neuronal ATP levels dropped sharply during REM sleep.
“The brain’s energy system is much more dynamic than simply ‘more blood flow means more energy for neurons,'” Matsui told PsyPost. “During REM sleep, we found what we call an ‘energy paradox’: cerebral blood volume increased and pyruvate increased in astrocytes, yet ATP in neurons decreased.”
Astrocytes belong to a broader category of support cells known as glial cells. As Matsui explained, this disconnect between nutrient delivery and final energy production hints at a highly complex support system. “This tells us that energy supply, energy transfer, energy production, and energy consumption can behave very differently from one another. It also suggests that blood vessels, glial cells, and metabolism may be more actively involved in brain function than we traditionally assumed.”
To verify that this energy drop was unique to REM sleep, the team conducted a separate test on three of the mice, encompassing nine total trials. They used a drug called sodium nitroprusside, a chemical vasodilator, to artificially widen the blood vessels. When this medication was administered, the resulting increase in blood volume was accompanied by expected increases in both astrocytic pyruvate and neuronal ATP.
Reflecting on these differences, Matsui points out that the vasodilator test behaved as anticipated, making the natural sleep findings even more unexpected. “The biggest surprise was that neuronal ATP decreased during REM sleep even though blood volume increased,” Matsui says. “When we artificially increased blood volume with a vasodilator, astrocytic pyruvate increased and neuronal ATP eventually increased as well, which was what we expected. REM sleep behaved very differently.”
The physical movement of the blood also stood out to the researchers. “We were also surprised by how complex the vascular activity itself was: blood-volume changes formed spatial waves, changed direction, and reorganized dramatically depending on the sleep state,” Matsui says.
Interpreting these energy fluctuations requires acknowledging a few biological contexts. The study relies on animal models, and mouse brain metabolism might differ from human brain function. The imaging techniques measure fluorescent signals as proxies for blood volume and chemical concentrations, meaning they do not provide absolute numerical values of molecules in the brain. The researchers also did not directly measure local oxygen levels or other metabolites like lactate, which could offer a more complete picture of the chemical environment.
Matsui cautions against drawing overly simplistic conclusions from the ATP drop. “Our results do not mean that REM sleep is simply an ‘energy-deficient’ state, nor do they show that changes in blood vessels cause the transition into REM sleep,” Matsui says. Instead, the findings reflect a complex internal economy, involving specialized cellular components like mitochondria, which generate most of a cell’s ATP.
“ATP concentration reflects the balance between ATP production and consumption,” Matsui explained. “A decrease could therefore result from increased energy use, altered transfer of metabolic substrates from astrocytes to neurons, changes in mitochondrial ATP production, or some combination of these mechanisms.” He adds, “Our experiments were also performed in mice, so further work will be needed to determine how directly these findings translate to the human brain.”
Moving forward, the research team hopes to untangle exactly why this energy drop occurs. “In the short term, we would like to understand why neuronal ATP falls during REM sleep, including possible changes in astrocyte-to-neuron metabolic transfer and mitochondrial function,” Matsui said. “Our long-term goal is to understand how the brain’s metabolic network interacts with its neuronal information-processing network.”
Matsui emphasized a growing interest in how support systems might dictate brain capabilities. “More broadly, however, we are interested in whether vascular, glial, and metabolic states can actively influence what neuronal circuits are able to do, rather than simply responding to neuronal activity,” Matsui says.
“One message I find particularly exciting is that there may be a great deal of biological information hidden in signals that neuroscience has often treated mainly as supporting signals,” Matsui said. “Blood vessels, astrocytes, and metabolic molecules showed rich spatial and temporal dynamics that could not be predicted simply from neuronal electrical activity.”
This indicates that intelligence and brain function rely on a much wider array of biological players than neurons alone. “We may therefore be seeing an additional layer of brain information processing one created by interactions among neuronal, glial, vascular, and metabolic networks,” Matsui said.
The study, “Energy paradox in REM sleep: balancing supply and consumption in brain metabolism,” was authored by Yusuke Takahashi, Yoko Ikoma, and Ko Matsui.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-uncover-an-energy-paradox-in-the-brain-during-rem-sleep/
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #REMsleep #EnergyParadox #BrainMetabolism #Neuroscience #GlialCells #Astrocytes #ATP #BloodFlow #DreamingBrain #SleepResearch
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DATE: August 12, 2026 at 08:43AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: The adult brain can repair itself better than scientists thought
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260812015158.htm
The adult brain may be far better at repairing itself than scientists once believed. In mice, researchers discovered a special group of support cells called astrocytes that respond to damaged brain tissue by rebuilding lost cellular networks. Rather than simply moving into the injured area, these cells perform a remarkable maneuver: they create new nuclei and send them traveling through long cellular extensions to repopulate damaged regions.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260812015158.htm
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AdultBrainRepair #BrainRegeneration #Astrocytes #NeuroScience #NeuralRepair #BrainHealth #MiceStudy #NeuroscienceNews #StemCellMagic #BrainInjuryRecovery
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Glucocorticoid signaling is thought to be important for #circadian rhythms only during development. This study shows that the adult SCN, a key pacemaker for the brain's clock, remains sensitive to these hormones, but through #astrocytes rather than neurons
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Newly mapped #brain networks link far-flung regions
#Astrocyte networks in #mice link distant brain regions in ways nerve cell wiring does not.
This system, made of star-shaped cells called #astrocytes, is no relic, a new study reports. It’s operational, linking locales near and far in flexible, mysterious ways.
What’s more, astrocyte networks may also have roles in disorders such as #Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injuries and stroke.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/astrocytes-brain-networks-communicate
https://archive.ph/MKkcZ -
When we look at contactomes instead of connectomes, we also get an obvious bonus: GLIA!! #glia aren't commonly involved in synapses, but they are EVERYWHERE.
Lots of chatter recently about astrocytes:
https://www.thetransmitter.org/astrocytes/the-silent-majority-how-astrocytes-shape-the-brain-across-scales/ -
To capture this local heterogeneity, the authors developed a #multiphoton #FLIM approach with the Na⁺ indicator ING-2 and #astrocyte labeling, enabling quantitative Na⁺ measurements in individual #astrocytes and their processes. This is important because astrocytic Na⁺ is not just a bulk somatic variable. It varies locally across branches and subdomains, where K⁺ uptake and #glutamate-linked Na⁺ influx are regulated.
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🧠🎨 New paper by Meyer et al: #astrocytic #sodium #homeostasis is not uniform. Using multiphoton #FLIM in #mouse #brain slices and #invivo, they show strong #cellular and #subcellular heterogeneity in astrocytic Na⁺ levels.
Processes contain more Na⁺ than somata, Na⁺ varies between #astrocyte branches, and distinct Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase subunit patterns help tune local K⁺ uptake and #glutamate-linked Na⁺ influx.
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Interestingly, #Virchow also introduced the concept of #neuroglia as a distinct #cellular component of the #NervousSystem. This was a crucial step in understanding the cellular composition of the nervous system and laid the groundwork for later #neuroscience research on glial cells.
#glia #GliaCells #Astrocytes #Oligodendrocytes #Microglia #NeuroscienceHistory
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Researchers Identify Astrocyte Pathway That Regulates Appetite and Fullness
📰 Original title: Scientists discover hidden brain switch that tells you to stop eating
🤖 IA: It's clickbait ⚠️
👥 Usuarios: It's clickbait ⚠️View full AI summary: https://killbait.com/en/researchers-identify-astrocyte-pathway-that-regulates-appetite-and-fullness/?redirpost=b88926dc-8771-4ddf-b0ae-c55cf0c57846
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Astrocytes Play a Key Role in Forming and Regulating Fear Memories
📰 Original title: These overlooked brain cells may control fear and PTSD
🤖 IA: It's not clickbait ✅
👥 Usuarios: It's not clickbait ✅View full AI summary: https://killbait.com/en/astrocytes-play-a-key-role-in-forming-and-regulating-fear-memories/?redirpost=94e1a4cc-43fa-47d1-bc78-fac7f73d856a
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Maladie #Alzheimer :
-> rôle des cellules #astrocytes qui participent à l'impression des souvenirs à long terme dans le #cerveau + peuvent être directement déclenchés par des expériences émotionnelles intenses répétées.https://mastodon.social/@cobrate/114132196272432613
enjeux politiques de la peur/haine + syndrome de stress post-traumatique #SPT.
-> rôle des cellules neurones qui encodent la #memoire selon des traces physiques : les engrammes.
enjeux scolaire.
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Scientists discover hidden brain cells that repair spinal cord injuries, offering breakthrough hope for paralysis, stroke, and multiple sclerosis patients.
#SpinalCordInjury #Neuroscience #LesionRemoteAstrocytes #Astrocytes #BrainScience
https://www.scientificworldinfo.com/2026/02/scientists-reveal-secret-repair-system-spinal-cord.html -
Magnetic Cell Sorter 🇺🇸
#Astrocytes #CellsandOrganelles #GLAST #GLAST+ #Magnetic #Sorter #astrocyte #brain
⏩ 2 new pictures from NIH BioArt https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:ListFiles?limit=22&user=OptimusPrimeBot&ilshowall=1&offset=20251216025720
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🌟 Astrocytes are superstars in the game of long-term memory
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-astrocytes-superstars-game-term-memory.html
#memory #brain #biology #astrocytes #physiology #health #psychology
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From Prof. Tamara Boto (Bristol):
"We have two advertised fully-funded PhD positions to work on memory or disease models in Drosophila! Please check the SWBio DTP website for more information and reach out if you are interested:"
1. https://bpb-eu-w2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.bristol.ac.uk/dist/f/373/files/2025/11/swbio-26-project-2.pdf
2. https://bpb-eu-w2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.bristol.ac.uk/dist/f/373/files/2025/11/swbio-26-project-32.pdf
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#Tumor-associated #astrocytes (TAAs) have unclear functions in supporting the progression of #glioblastoma. This study identifies and characterizes distinct TAA subtypes with specific adaptive responses to #TumorMicroenvironment modifications @PLOSBiology plos.io/3WHTnFb
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"Astrocytes and neurons encode natural stimuli with partially shared but distinct composite receptive fields", Lu et al .2025 with @neuralengine
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.06.680791v1.abstract"The features within these astrocytic receptive fields are not spectrotemporally distinct from those of neurons, and at the population level, they span overlapping but different subspaces of the full sensory space compared to neurons."
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Astrocytes help control #sleep & arousal. @ashleyingiosi explores a @PLOSBiology study showing that wake-promoting #histamine affects how #astrocytes respond to other signals, reducing awake time via astroglial histamine-1-receptors. Paper: plos.io/4gRj9Ap Primer: plos.io/47at1Sj
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The team created “AstroCapsules,” small hydrogel capsules that enclose human #astrocytes ⎯ star-shaped #brain cells that support healthy #nervous system function. Inside the capsules, the cells were engineered to release interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, an anti-inflammatory protein.
#Bioengineering #Biotechnology #Neuroscience #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2025/09/btech09262501.html -
The #brain does not function via #neurons alone. In fact, nearly half of the cells that make up the brain are glial cells, and among them, #astrocytes occupy a special place.
#Neuroscience #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2025/09/ns09242501.html -
Brain organoids are tiny, synthetic representations of real human brains. This section of a human brain organoid shows the star-shaped glial cells known as astrocytes, aged 140 days.
Photograph: Bahaa Al-mhanawi/AIBN
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Understanding Brain Trauma: Cellular Responses and Molecular Cascades
#BrainInjury #Neuroinflammation #TraumaticBrainInjury #Microglia #Astrocytes #BloodBrainBarrier #Neuroregeneration #BrainHealth #Neuroscience #BrainRecovery
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Tryptophan and the Kynurenine Pathway: Metabolic Routes Impacting Mood and Neurodegeneration
#BrainChemistry #Neuroimmune #KynureninePathway #GutBrainAxis #Neuroinflammation #Microglia #Astrocytes #Neurodegeneration #OxidativeStress #MentalHealth #BrainHealth #Metabolism #NervousSystem #DietAndBrain #Neuroscience
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Cellular Heroes of the Brain: Microglia, Astrocytes, and More
#Neuroscience #BrainHealth #Neuroplasticity #Neurobiology #BrainScience #Neurodegeneration #Microglia #Astrocytes #Memory #BrainTips
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The Brain’s Immune System: Microglia and Inflammation Explained
#BrainScience #Neuroscience #GlialCells #Microglia #Astrocytes #Neuroinflammation #BrainHealth #Neurodegeneration #Demyelination #Cytokines #Neurons #BrainResearch #Neurobiology #BrainInjury #BrainRecovery
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Recently, we discussed this insightful paper by Squadrani et al (2024) in our #JournalClub. It explores how #astrocytes enhance #SynapticPlasticity during #ReversalLearning by modulating D-serine levels, providing a #biophysical basis for dynamic #LTP thresholds. The findings suggest astrocytic signaling is crucial for #AdaptiveLearning, linking #glial activity to #behavioral flexibility. Here’s a summary from our JC:
🌍 https://www.fabriziomusacchio.com/blog/2025-06-29-astrocyte_enhance_plasticity/
📝 https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06540-8 -
New research supports brain cell transplantation as a treatment for some neurological disorders https://www.psypost.org/new-research-supports-brain-cell-transplantation-as-a-treatment-for-some-neurological-disorders/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #Neuroscience #Neurology #BrainHealth #Astrocytes #CellTherapy
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Ketamine’s rapid antidepressant effects traced to overlooked brain cells https://www.psypost.org/ketamines-rapid-antidepressant-effects-traced-to-overlooked-brain-cells/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #Ketamine #MentalHealth #Depression #Astrocytes #Neuroscience