It was also an excellent opportunity to host Richard Robitaille from the Université de Montréal. Seeing Richard discussing with my student feels like seeing a fish in water.

Congratulations Francesco and Juli!

Surprising findings!
The lower levels of #mGluR5 expression in #astrocytes in #adulthood turn out to be essential for cortico-limbic circuit function, as we suggested in our review:
"AstroWars: the return of the astrocytic mGluR5"

@jphysiol.bsky.social #wiley
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...

5/ Our findings highlight #astrocytes —not just neurons— as active players in #adult #brain #plasticity and #behavior. Astrocytic mGluR5 pathway is a promising target
🧠🔬 #Neuroscience #Astrocytes #mGluR5 #BrainPlasticity #Behavior #ScienceThread
@icvs-uminho.bsky.social
@institutocajal.bsky.social

4/ Next, we flipped the switch—overexpressed mGluR5 in hippocampal astrocytes. This enhanced behavior flexibility but impaired place memory. A double-edged effect.

3/ This pointed us to the #hippocampus as a key region. We then deleted mGluR5 specifically in hippocampal astrocytes using AAVs.
This affected both basal synaptic transmission and plasticity. Behaviorally, it reproduced anxiety and social deficits, plus long-term memory loss.

2/ So we deleted mGluR5 across the brain.
The result? Mice showed anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, reduced sociability, and impaired memory.

🧵1/ We explored how #astrocytes influence adult brain function using #genetic manipulation in #mice + #calcium #imaging + #exvivo #Ephys + #behavior.
First discovery: #adult mouse astrocytes show #robust mGluR5-dependent #calcium #signaling.
@samalves1510.bsky.social