However, astrocytes are difficult to study. Parts of them are so thin that they are not visible under an ordinary microscope.

Researchers have found that astrocytes influence whether memories are stored long-term or fade. Acidifying astrocytes blocks long-term memory, while alkalinizing them strengthens fear memory retention ...

Researchers from Tohoku University have discovered that part of the memory selection process depends on the function of astrocytes, a special type of cell that surrounds neurons in the brain.