While much Alzheimer’s research has traditionally focused on deposition of amyloid plaques and tau tangles, this project explores a lesser-known area: astrocyte networks. Astrocytes are star-shaped brain cells that help neurons stay healthy by providing nutrients and clearing waste. These cells form complex networks across the brain and change dramatically in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease. The network changes likely reflect a shift in function: instead of directly supporting neurons, these networks may be trying to clear waste more efficiently to decrease local concentrations of pathogenic proteins and help counteract cell death. This project will investigate which metabolites astrocytes transport, how network connections change when specific pathways are blocked, and whether enhancing astrocyte-based waste clearance can slow disease progression. By mapping these changes, this project will uncover how the brain’s supporting astrocytes adapt—or fail to adapt—during Alzheimer’s.
