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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 10, 2025

Dual Electrophysiological Recordings of Synaptically-evoked Astroglial and Neuronal Responses in Acute Hippocampal Slices

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Dual Oxytocin Signals in Striatal Astrocytes.

Elisa Farsetti¹, Sarah Amato¹, Monica Averna²

¹Department of Pharmacy, University of Genova, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genova, Italy.

|August 28, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Oxytocin influences astrocyte calcium signals and glutamate release through dual inhibitory and stimulatory pathways. These findings highlight oxytocin

Keywords:

astrocyte processes atosiban biased agonists carbetocin glutamate release intracellular calcium oxytocin oxytocin receptor

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Published on: November 26, 2012

Imaging Intracellular Ca2+ Signals in Striatal Astrocytes from Adult Mice Using Genetically-encoded Calcium Indicators

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Analyzing the Size, Shape, and Directionality of Networks of Coupled Astrocytes

Analyzing the Size, Shape, and Directionality of Networks of Coupled Astrocytes

Published on: October 4, 2018

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cell Biology
Neuropharmacology

Background:

Oxytocin's effects on glial cells, particularly astrocytes, are gaining research interest.
Previous studies showed oxytocin inhibits astrocytic Ca2+ signals and glutamate release at low nanomolar concentrations.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate oxytocin receptor coupling to both inhibitory and stimulatory pathways in astrocytes.
To determine the concentration-dependent effects of oxytocin on astrocytic Ca2+ signals and glutamate release in the rat striatum.

Main Methods:

Freshly prepared astrocyte processes from adult rat striatum were used.
Intracellular Ca2+ signals and glutamate release were measured.
Oxytocin, biased agonists (atosiban, carbetocin), and varying concentrations were applied.

Main Results:

Oxytocin induced dual responses: inhibition and facilitation of Ca2+ signals and glutamate release.
Inhibitory and facilitatory responses were linked to G i and G q pathways, respectively.
Both responses occurred at similar nanomolar oxytocin concentrations, with biased agonists mimicking these effects.

Conclusions:

Striatal astrocytes exhibit oxytocin receptors coupled to distinct G protein pathways (G i and G q).
Oxytocin modulates both Ca2+ signaling and glutamate release in astrocytes, suggesting a role in neuron-astrocyte communication.
Astrocytic oxytocin receptors represent potential therapeutic targets for regulating striatal glutamatergic transmission in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases.