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Title: Roles of astrocytes in response to aging, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis.

Authors: Planas-Fontánez, Talia M; Sainato, Danielle M; Sharma, Isha; Dreyfus, Cheryl F

Published In Brain Res, (2021 08 01)

Abstract: Astrocytes are traditionally recognized for their multiple roles in support of brain function. However, additional changes in these roles are evident in response to brain diseases. In this review, we highlight positive and negative effects of astrocytes in response to aging, Alzheimer's disease and Multiple Sclerosis. We summarize data suggesting that reactive astrocytes may perform critical functions that might be relevant to the etiology of these conditions. In particular, we relate astrocytes effects to actions on synaptic transmission, cognition, and myelination. We suggest that a better understanding of astrocyte functions and how these become altered in response to aging or disease will lead to the appreciation of these cells as useful therapeutic targets.

PubMed ID: 33812850 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging/pathology*; Alzheimer Disease/pathology*; Astrocytes/pathology*; Humans; Middle Aged; Multiple Sclerosis/pathology*

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