Historically relegated as simple support cells, the last 30 years of research have revealed that astrocytes play a crucial, active role in the brain.

Hallmark functions such as neurotransmitter reuptake, ionic homeostasis, and stabilization of synapses are facilitated by astrocytes’ close approximation to neuronal synapses, where astrocytes are estimated to contact upwards of 100,000 synapses from several individual neurons. A growing body of research indicates that these functions are crucial for normal, complex behavior and new investigations into how disruptions may contribute to maladaptive behaviors, including substance use disorders, are underway.

Within neuroscience, long-lasting changes in gene expression are thought to be the molecular foundations of maladaptive neuroplasticity at the core of many neuropsychiatric disorders. However, very little is known regarding these mechanisms in astrocytes in normal and maladaptive behaviors and are the focus of the Holt Lab.