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Effects of Emotional Stress on Astrocytes and Their Implications in Stress-Related Disorders

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Psychiatry and Neuroscience Update - Vol. II

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Abstract

Stress is a major risk factor in the etiology of several psychiatric diseases, such as anxiety disorders and depression. On the other hand, a growing body of evidence has demonstrated that astrocytes play a pivotal role in the normal functioning of the nervous system. Hence, understanding the effects of stress on astrocytes is crucial for a better comprehension of stress-related mental disorders. Here, we describe the evidence showing astrocyte changes induced by stress in animals and how this plasticity could operate to induce behavioral sequelae. In addition, human data linking astrocytes with psychiatric disorders related to stress are also discussed. Altogether, the data indicate that both chronic and acute stressors are capable of changing the morphology and function of astrocytes in the brain areas that are known to play a critical role in emotional processing, such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. Furthermore, different lines of evidence suggest that astrocyte plasticity may contribute to the behavioral consequences of stress.

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Abbreviations

AQP4:

Aquaporin 4

ATP:

Adenosine triphosphate

CUS:

Chronic unpredictable stress

Cx43:

Connexin 43

FGF2:

Astrocytic fibroblast growth factor

GABA:

Gamma aminobutyric acid

GFAP:

Glial fibrillary acidic protein

GLAST:

Glutamate aspartate transporter, also known as excitatory amino acid transporter 1 (EAAT1)

GLT-1:

Glutamate transporter-1, also known as excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2)

GS:

Glutamine synthetase

IP3:

Inositol triphosphate receptors

S100β:

Calcium-binding protein β

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from MinCyT-Cordoba, SECYT-UNC, CONICET, and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica–FONCYT (Argentina) to Victor A Molina and SECYT-UNC, CONICET, and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica–FONCYT (Argentina) to Gaston Calfa.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IFEC-CONICET, Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina

    Christian Luis Bender PhD, Gastón Diego Calfa & Víctor Alejandro Molina

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  1. Christian Luis Bender PhD
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  2. Gastón Diego Calfa
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  3. Víctor Alejandro Molina
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Correspondence to Christian Luis Bender PhD .

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  1. National University of Cuyo, Catholic University of Argentina, Guaymallen Mendoza, Argentina

    Pascual Ángel Gargiulo

  2. Institute of Neurobiology Foundation, National Academy of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Humberto Luis Mesones-Arroyo

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Bender, C.L., Calfa, G.D., Molina, V.A. (2017). Effects of Emotional Stress on Astrocytes and Their Implications in Stress-Related Disorders. In: Gargiulo, P., Mesones-Arroyo, H. (eds) Psychiatry and Neuroscience Update - Vol. II. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53126-7_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53126-7_10

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