In the Central Nervous System, glia cells regulate the shape and functions of neuronal and vascular compartments. An imbalanced activity of glia cells can negatively impact the formation and function s of neuronal networks, leading to the onset of severe brain pathologies. Sex differences affect brain disorders in terms of predisposition, rates of incidence, symptomatology and outcomes. Sex-dependent brain maturational trajectories are influenced by the perinatal surge in testosterone aimed at masculinizing the brain.
Glia cells respond to circulating gonadal hormones, which influence their sex-dependent maturation rates and consequent modulation of neuronal circuit development. However, research on sex-dependent pathologies and their neurobiological causes is still scarce.
In this Satellite symposium, we aim to discuss how sex differences influence glia cells in health and disease and the need for sex-specific diagnostic tools and tailored treatments for individual patients.
Moreover, astrocytes modulate astrocyte-to-neuron communication, thereby enabling nerve cells to acquire and store information through learning processes. The discovery of direct reconversion of glia cells into neurons has additionally provided novel insights into the generation of fully functional mature neurons from other cell types, with the potential to develop alternative therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative brain disorders.
Thus, astrocyte-specific molecular prints may become useful biomarkers of distinct cellular dys functions in health and disease. In a translational perspective, their characterization in pathological conditions may support the development of diagnostic tools or the selection of tailored treatment options for individual patients. Finally, glia cell reprogramming may offer valid, less invasive, cell replacement therapies for human disorders.
