Overlooked cell type orchestrates brain rewiring

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered that astrocytes, not neurons, are key to brain connectivity changes during heightened alertness. This finding challenges long-held beliefs about brain function and could lead to new treatments for attention and memory disorders. The study, published in Science, shows that norepinephrine triggers astrocytes to release chemicals that dampen synapse activity, fundamentally altering our understanding of brain wiring and activity.