Plenary lectures

Over the past century, substantial effort has been dedicated on deciphering neural circuit and synaptic transmission in an attempt to understand the neural substrate of higher cognitive functions. In recent years, a wealth of information has in addition showed that astrocytes can modulate synaptic transmission and act as an active partaker in synaptic events. One concern is that most information on astrocytic modulation of neural circuit has been collected in rodent brains. Astrocytes have during evolution expanded disproportional in both number and diversity. The larger size and complexity of astrocytes in human brain suggest that astrocytes are involved in more sophistication processes than in other species. Human astrocytes also display a higher degree of diversity and their gene expression differs fundamentally from mouse astrocytes. I will discuss how astrocytes contribute to processing of sensory information and how the more sophisticated functions of human astrocytes also may provide a basis for complex neural diseases, including neurodegeneration and psychiatric disorders.