Grant: Operating Grant

Communication and learning in the nervous system is executed by a group of structures called synapses. Although it was thought for a long time that only neuronal cells contributed to the communication process, recent work has shown that the other major cells in then ervous system,that is, the glial cells, are very active and are key elements in this fundamental process. Major changes in neuronal communication occur during aging. Here we will examine how the glial contribution to the communication and learning processes is altered during aging and what are the consequences of these age-related changes.