Astrocytes affect metabolism and cognitive function in obesity

Fat diets and obesity affect the structure and function of astrocytes, cerebral cells in the shape of a star found in the stripes, the brain region involved in the perception of the pleasure produced by food intake. Even more surprising is that by manipulating these astrocytes at mice, it can affect metabolism and improve some cognitive changes related to obesity (for example, the ability to re -raise the task). These results, described by scientists from CNRS and Université Paris Cité, will be published on July 7 in the magazine.

These discoveries strengthen the idea that astrocytes (long neglected in favor of neurons) play a key role in the function of the brain. For the first time, they also show the ability of astrocytes to restore cognitive functions in the context of obesity, opening new research opportunities to identify their exact role in the metabolism of energy.

These conclusions were achieved using combinations and approaches to rodents, including chemogenetic techniques, brain imaging, transport tests, cognitive behavior and measuring energy metabolism.