Astrocytes in the amygdala may play a key role in anxiety

In a study published in Neuron, Ciaran Murphy-Royal, researcher at the Center de recherche du Center hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), and his team show that astrocyte activity in the brain's fear center, the basolateral amygdala, is not merely a reflection of neuronal activity. They explore the role of astrocytes in assessing threats and anxiety, and challenge the notion that astrocytes are nothing more than support cells.