Astrocytes, Not Neurons, Hold the Key to Emotional Memory: The discovery redefines how the brain stores emotional experiences and may lead to gentler therapies for PTSD.
Astrocytes, Not Neurons, Hold the Key to Emotional Memory: The discovery redefines how the brain stores emotional experiences and may lead to gentler therapies for PTSD.
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Astrocytes, the brain’s often-overlooked support cells, have been found to play a central role in stabilizing emotionally charged memories.
After a powerful emotional event, these cells are biologically tagged with adrenoreceptors that prime them to reactivate when the memory resurfaces.
When researchers blocked astrocyte activity, memories became unstable; when they forced activation, mild memories were recalled as deeply distressing.
I have nothing intelligent to say about this other than it’s very cool and interesting.