Glial Assembly: a New Regulatory Machinery of Brain Function and Disorders

Purpose of the Research Project

Neurons communicate with one another by forming neuronal circuits (NCs), which play a major role in expressing the brain function. Glial cells also communicate with one another and form glial circuits (GCs). Communication among neurons and that among glial cells are intrinsically different: glial communication being much slower and more gradual than neuronal communication. Long-range communication by glial cells often covers a macroscopic brain area, interacts with and affects the activity of NCs, and thereby controls the brain function.

The purpose of this project is to clarify the mechanism that underlies the formation of gigantic GCs (glial assembly) and to understand how they control the brain function. We also aim to clarify how abnormalities in glial assembly are related to the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Introduction to Japanese community of glial study