IMBB Seminar - Maurizio De Pittà, Thursday May 8th 2014

["News University of Crete" <press@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

ΘΕΜΑ: IMBB Seminar - Maurizio De Pittà, Thursday May 8th 2014

ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΕΑΣ: Maria Stiakaki - IMBB Secretariat [mailto:mariast@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

 

 

Thursday, May 8th 2014

Seminar Room 1, FORTH first floor

Time: 12.00 noon

Title: Do Astrocytes Compute? Making the Point on Neuron-Glia Interactions.

Dr. Maurizio De Pittà

EPI BEAGLE, INRIA Rhône-Alpes, Université de Lyon LIRIS, 69006 

Villeurbane, France

Abstract:

In recent years, the simultaneous recognition that astrocytes sense neighboring neuronal activity and

release neuroactive agents (or “gliotransmitters”) has been instrumental in the uncovering of the

many possible roles played by these cells in the regulation of synaptic transmission and neuronal

activity. These findings suggested that information travels and is processed not just in the neuronal

circuitry but in an expanded neuron-glia network. However much remains elusive about the role of

astrocyte signaling in brain computation. Inspired by recent experiments on neuron-astrocyte

interactions at cortical synapses, I will present theoretical arguments that suggest novel possible

mechanisms whereby astrocytes could take part in the processing and storage of information by the

brain. From subcellular to network levels, the analysis of the signaling pathways underlying these

mechanisms refines our notion of neural communication and has profound implications on our

understanding of brain function.

Host: Yiota Poirazi

---

The seminar will be broadcasted live and can be viewed using the following link:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/imbb-08052014

Seminars will also become available for watching at IMBB's YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPeRZVC0qvjFt83jDtYTyqA

Attachment: smime.p7s
Description: S/MIME cryptographic signature