The role of neuron–glia interactions in the emergence of ultra-slow oscillations

Ultra-slow cortical oscillatory activity of 1–100 mHz has been recorded in human by electroencephalography and in dissociated cultures of cortical rat neurons, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. This study presents a computational model of ultra-slow oscillatory activity based on...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biological cybernetics 2017-12, Vol.111 (5-6), p.459-472
Main Authors: Chan, Siow-Cheng, Mok, Siew-Ying, Ng, Danny Wee-Kiat, Goh, Sing-Yau
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Action Potentials - physiology
Adenosine triphosphate
Algorithms
Animals
Astrocytes
ATP
Bioinformatics
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Calcium
Calcium (intracellular)
Calcium signalling
Cell Communication - physiology
Cells, Cultured
Cerebral Cortex - cytology
Complex Systems
Computational neuroscience
Computer Appl. in Life Sciences
Cortex
EEG
Electroencephalography
Embryo, Mammalian
Emergence
Intracellular
Models, Biological
Nerve Net - physiology
Neural Networks (Computer)
Neurobiology
Neuroglia - physiology
Neuronal-glial interactions
Neurons
Neurons - physiology
Neurosciences
Neurotransmitter release
Original Article
Oscillations
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Rodents
Synapses
Synapses - physiology
Time Factors
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Summary:Ultra-slow cortical oscillatory activity of 1–100 mHz has been recorded in human by electroencephalography and in dissociated cultures of cortical rat neurons, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. This study presents a computational model of ultra-slow oscillatory activity based on the interaction between neurons and astrocytes. We predict that the frequency of these oscillations closely depends on activation of astrocytes in the network, which is reflected by oscillations of their intracellular calcium concentrations with periods between tens of seconds and minutes. An increase of intracellular calcium in astrocytes triggers the release of adenosine triphosphate from these cells which may alter transmission at nearby synapses by increasing or decreasing neurotransmitter release. These results provide theoretical support for the emerging awareness of astrocytes as active players in the regulation of neural activity and identify neuron–astrocyte interactions as a potential primary mechanism for the emergence of ultra-slow cortical oscillations.
ISSN:0340-1200
1432-0770
DOI:10.1007/s00422-017-0740-z