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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

Symmetric Bihemispheric Postmortem Brain Cutting to Study Healthy and Pathological Brain Conditions in Humans

Symmetric Bihemispheric Postmortem Brain Cutting to Study Healthy and Pathological Brain Conditions in Humans

Published on: December 18, 2016

Recent advances in brain physiology and cognitive processing.

Pereira Alfredo¹, Maria Alice Ornellas Pereira, Fábio Augusto Furlan

¹Adjunct Professor on Philosophy of Science, Institute of Biosciences, State University of São Paulo (UNESP), Campus Rubião Jr., 18618-000, Botucatu-SP, Brasil.

Mens Sana Monographs

|June 23, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Astrocytes actively participate in tripartite synapses, forming models of human cognitive functions like learning and memory. These models utilize calcium waves mediated by interconnected astrocytes to explain large-scale brain information processing.

Keywords:

Astrocyte Calcium Waves Glutamate Tripartite Synapse

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Perspectives on Neuroscience

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Published on: July 31, 2007

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Symmetric Bihemispheric Postmortem Brain Cutting to Study Healthy and Pathological Brain Conditions in Humans

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Evaluating Tests of Cognition using a Computerized Touch-Sensitive Tablet, Eye Tracking, and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

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Perspectives on Neuroscience

Perspectives on Neuroscience

Published on: July 31, 2007

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Computational Neuroscience
Astrocytes Biology

Background:

Astrocytes are increasingly recognized as active participants in synaptic function.
Tripartite synapses, comprising two neurons and one astrocyte, are fundamental units of neural processing.
Understanding astrocyte roles is crucial for modeling complex cognitive functions.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a computational model of human cognitive functions.
To investigate the role of astrocytes and calcium waves in information processing.
To elucidate the physiological underpinnings of cognition.

Main Methods:

Modeling human cognitive functions using an ensemble of tripartite synapses.
Incorporating gap junctions to link distributed astrocytes.
Simulating intra- and intercellular calcium waves for information processing.

Main Results:

A model demonstrating how interconnected astrocytes and calcium waves can mediate cognitive functions.
A diagram illustrating molecular mechanisms within tripartite synapses.
A framework for understanding associative learning, sensory integration, and memory.

Conclusions:

Astrocytes play a critical role in large-scale cognitive information processing.
The model provides insights into the physiological basis of cognition.
The framework has potential for future expansion to emotional functions and psychiatric phenomena.