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Ca2+ signaling in astrocytes is sleep-wake state specific and modulates sleep

Bojarskaite, L.; Bjornstad, D. M.; Pettersen, K. H.; Cunen, C.; Hermansen, G. H.; Abjorsbraten, K. S.; Sprengel, R.; Vervaeke, K.; Tang, W.; Enger, R.; Nagelhus, E. A.

2019-08-29 neuroscience
10.1101/750281 bioRxiv
Show abstract

Astrocytic Ca2+ signaling has been intensively studied in health and disease but remains uncharacterized in sleep. Here, we employed a novel activity-based algorithm to assess astrocytic Ca2+ signals in the barrel cortex of awake and naturally sleeping mice while monitoring neuronal Ca2+ activity, brain rhythms and behavior. We discovered that Ca2+ signaling in astrocytes exhibits distinct features across the sleep-wake cycle and is reduced in sleep compared to wakefulness. Moreover, an increase in astrocytic Ca2+ signaling precedes transitions from slow-wave sleep to wakefulness, with a peak upon awakening exceeding the levels during whisking and locomotion. Genetic ablation of a key astrocytic Ca2+ signaling pathway resulted in fragmentation of slow-wave sleep, yet increased the frequency of sleep spindles. Our findings suggest a role for astrocytic Ca2+ signaling in modulating sleep.

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