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Endocannabinoid-mediated neuron-astrocyte communication

Alfonso Araque1*
  • 1 Instituto Cajal, Spain

I will present our recent data demonstrating a new form of neuron-astrocyte signaling mediated by endocannabinoids. Astrocytes express functional type 1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1Rs) that upon activation increase the intracellular calcium through Gq/11- and phospholipase C-dependent release of calcium from internal stores. Depolarization of pyramidal neurons stimulates the release of endocannabinoids, which activate CB1Rs in astrocytes, elevating their calcium levels and inducing the release of glutamate, which in turn serves as a feedback signal that activates NMDA receptors in adjacent neurons. Therefore, these results reveal a new endocannabinoid-glutamate signaling pathway, where astrocytes serve as a bridge for non-synaptic interneuronal communication.

Supported by: MEC (BFU2007-64764/BFI), European Union (Health-F2-2007-202167) and Cajal Blue Brain.

Conference: 3rd Mediterranean Conference of Neuroscience , Alexandria, Egypt, 13 Dec - 16 Dec, 2009.

Presentation Type: Oral Presentation

Topic: Symposium10 – Neuron-glial communications in the normal and pathological brain

Citation: Araque A (2009). Endocannabinoid-mediated neuron-astrocyte communication. Front. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: 3rd Mediterranean Conference of Neuroscience . doi: 10.3389/conf.neuro.01.2009.16.038

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Received: 19 Nov 2009; Published Online: 19 Nov 2009.

* Correspondence: Alfonso Araque, Instituto Cajal, Madrid, Spain, araque@umn.edu