Astrocyte-mediated spike-timing-dependent long-term depression modulates synaptic properties in the developing cortex

Astrocytes have been shown to modulate synaptic transmission and plasticity in specific cortical synapses, but our understanding of the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms remains limited. Here we present a new biophysicochemical model of a somatosensory cortical layer 4 to layer 2/3 synapse to study the role of astrocytes in spike-timing-dependent long-term depression (t-LTD) in vivo. By applying the synapse model and electrophysiological data recorded from rodent somatosensory cortex, we show that a signal from a postsynaptic neuron, orchestrated by endocannabinoids, astrocytic calcium signaling, and presynaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors coupled with calcineurin signaling, induces t-LTD which is sensitive to the temporal difference between post- and presynaptic firing. We predict for the first time the dynamics of astrocyte-mediated molecular mechanisms underlying t-LTD and link complex biochemical networks at presynaptic, postsynaptic, and astrocytic sites to the time window of t-LTD induction. During t-LTD a single astrocyte acts as a delay factor for fast neuronal activity and integrates fast neuronal sensory processing with slow non-neuronal processing to modulate synaptic properties in the brain. Our results suggest that astrocytes play a critical role in synaptic computation during postnatal development and are of paramount importance in guiding the development of brain circuit functions, learning and memory.