Investigating interactions of glia cells and synapses during development and in adulthood is the focus of several research programmes which aim at understanding the neurobiology of brain physiological and pathological processes. Both glia-specific released and membrane-bound proteins play essential roles in the development, maintenance and functionality of synaptic connections. Alterations in synaptic contacts in specific brain areas are hallmarks of several brain diseases, such as major depressive disorder, autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Thus, a deeper knowledge about putative astrocyte dysfunctions which might affect the synaptic compartment is warranted to improve treatment options. Here, we present the latest advances about the role of glia cells in orchestrating the arrangement of synapses and neuronal networks in physiological and pathological states. We specifically focus on the role of astrocytes in the phagocytosis of neuronal synapses as a novel mechanism which drives the refinement of neuronal circuits and might be affected in pathological conditions. Finally, we propose this astrocyte-dependent mechanism as a putative alternative target of pharmacological interventions for the treatment of brain disorders.

中文翻译：

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星形胶质细胞 - 神经元串扰受到干扰：关于神经精神疾病发病的另类观点

研究发育过程中和成年期神经胶质细胞和突触的相互作用是几个旨在了解大脑生理和病理过程的神经生物学的研究项目的重点。神经胶质特异性释放蛋白和膜结合蛋白在突触连接的发育、维持和功能中都发挥着重要作用。特定脑区突触接触的改变是几种脑部疾病的标志，如重度抑郁症、自闭症谱系障碍和精神分裂症。因此，有必要对可能影响突触区室的假定星形胶质细胞功能障碍有更深入的了解，以改进治疗方案。这里，我们介绍了关于神经胶质细胞在生理和病理状态下协调突触和神经元网络排列的作用的最新进展。我们特别关注星形胶质细胞在神经元突触吞噬作用中的作用，这是一种驱动神经元回路细化并可能在病理条件下受到影响的新机制。最后，我们建议将这种星形胶质细胞依赖性机制作为治疗脑部疾病的药物干预的假定替代目标。