About this Research Topic
From its original identification in the late nineteenth century as “glue-cells”, glial cells have gained numerous functions in the field of neuroscience cell biology than previously believed. Glial cells participate in synapse formation, development, plasticity, and homeostasis, essentials for maintaining the physiological function of the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheric nervous system (PNS). For a long time, these activities were considered to play only supportive roles for neurons, and therefore, animal behavior was classically considered to be determined exclusively by neuronal activity. However, by controlling the neuronal energy supply, neurotransmitter spill over, gliotransmition, synaptic remodeling, and extracellular matrix dynamics, the prominent dialogue between neurons and glial cells presents new opportunities to understand the roles of these cells in controlling brain activity. This coordinated activity between astrocytes and neurons, and to a lesser extent microglia and oligodendrocytes, highlights new roles for these glial cells in the regulation of brain-controlled processes.
Although glia is known to have the potential to alter neuronal activity by actively participating in tripartite synapses, their impact on behavioral circuits is an emerging field of research. This includes their participation in network computational models and new methodologies for achieving their functional integration into neuronal circuits controlling many aspects of animal behaviors, such as feeding, sleep, circadian rhythm, perception, motor functions, learning, memory, cognition, anxiety, and motivation. Decoding how glial cells interact with neurons and other glial cell types in various CNS and PNS circuits will be crucial to the comprehension of how glia integrate information to modulate diverse behaviors at distinct stages of the life cycle of different animal models.
In this Research Topic, we are calling for original research and review articles that focus on the role of glial cells in behavioral mechanisms in health and disease, to contribute to understanding how behavioral circuits are originated and dysregulated. Subjects include but are not limited to:
• Crosstalk between neuron-glia and glia-glia interactions and their role in behavior
• Mechanisms underlying behavioral dysregulation in neurological diseases.
• The implication of glial cells in engram formation and visuomotor performance
• Glia of social and circadian circuit dynamics and animal behavior
Although glia is known to have the potential to alter neuronal activity by actively participating in tripartite synapses, their impact on behavioral circuits is an emerging field of research. This includes their participation in network computational models and new methodologies for achieving their functional integration into neuronal circuits controlling many aspects of animal behaviors, such as feeding, sleep, circadian rhythm, perception, motor functions, learning, memory, cognition, anxiety, and motivation. Decoding how glial cells interact with neurons and other glial cell types in various CNS and PNS circuits will be crucial to the comprehension of how glia integrate information to modulate diverse behaviors at distinct stages of the life cycle of different animal models.
In this Research Topic, we are calling for original research and review articles that focus on the role of glial cells in behavioral mechanisms in health and disease, to contribute to understanding how behavioral circuits are originated and dysregulated. Subjects include but are not limited to:
• Crosstalk between neuron-glia and glia-glia interactions and their role in behavior
• Mechanisms underlying behavioral dysregulation in neurological diseases.
• The implication of glial cells in engram formation and visuomotor performance
• Glia of social and circadian circuit dynamics and animal behavior
Keywords: behavior, microglia, astrocytes, glia, neurons, oligodendrocytes
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
