Noradrenergic Signaling and Astroglia

Book excerpt: Noradrenergic Signaling and Astroglia integrates what is known about the active role of astroglia in the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic system and outlines the most recent advances in the field. It discusses the molecular mechanisms underlying norepinephrine-induced receptor activation in astroglia, cellular metabolism and CNS energy provision, in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models, gliosignalling and neuronal activity, and astroglial networks, gap junctions, and morphological plasticity. The book also addresses the role of astroglial adrenergic receptor activation in memory formation, cognition, regulation of sleep homeostasis, and lastly in neurological disorders, including trauma (cellular edema), neurodegeneration (Alzheimer's disease), and neuroinflammation (multiple sclerosis). Noradrenergic Signaling and Astroglia is a valuable source of new knowledge for a wide audience, including graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and researchers in neuroscience, life sciences, and the biological and biomedical sciences. - Covers what is currently known about the role of astroglia in the noradrenergic system - Provides biochemical and physiological mechanistic data to understand how noradrenergic signals acting on astroglia produce observed effects - Includes figures and tables of structures, mechanisms and processes related to astroglia and noradrenergic signaling in CNS