Summary:
- The study found that astrocytes, a type of glial cell in the brain, can directly influence the activity of nearby neurons.
- Astrocytes were shown to modulate the electrical activity of neurons by releasing the neurotransmitter glutamate, which can either excite or inhibit neuronal firing.
- This discovery challenges the traditional view of astrocytes as passive support cells, and suggests they play an active role in information processing and neural circuit function in the brain.