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Astrocyte contribution to dysfunction, risk and progression in neurodegenerative disorders
Brandebura AN, Paumier A, Onur TS, Allen NJ.. Nature reviews. Neuroscience, 2022-10-31
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
There is increasing appreciation that non-neuronal cells contribute to the initiation, progression and pathology of diverse neurodegenerative disorders. This Review focuses on the role of astrocytes in disorders including Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, Huntington disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The important roles astrocytes have in supporting neuronal function in the healthy brain are considered, along with studies that have demonstrated how the physiological properties of astrocytes are altered in neurodegenerative disorders and may explain their contribution to neurodegeneration.
Key findings
- This Review focuses on the role of astrocytes in disorders including Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, Huntington disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
- The important roles astrocytes have in supporting neuronal function in the healthy brain are considered, along with studies that have demonstrated how the physiological properties of astrocytes are altered in neurodegenerative disorders and may explain their contribution to neurodegeneration.
- Further, the question of whether in neurodegenerative disorders with specific genetic mutations these mutations directly impact on astrocyte function, and may suggest a driving role for astrocytes in disease initiation, is discussed.
- A summary of how astrocyte transcriptomic and proteomic signatures are altered during the progression of neurodegenerative disorders and may relate to functional changes is provided.
Why it matters
This review examines how astrocytes contribute to the initiation, progression and pathology of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease, and how their normal supporting functions change. It reports no treatment or prevention outcome, only a research direction.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 51/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Nature reviews. Neuroscience) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Nature reviews. Neuroscience: journal h-index 572 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2023 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 424 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 84.8 citations a year over 5 year(s) since 2023 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 13.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 8 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 340 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Nicola J. Allen: h-index 36 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Salk Institute for Biological Studies: institution h-index 1,011 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 36316501) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 51 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Brandebura, A. N., Paumier, A., Onur, T. S., & Allen, N. J. (2023). Astrocyte contribution to dysfunction, risk and progression in neurodegenerative disorders. Nature reviews. Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-022-00641-1
Vancouver
Brandebura AN, Paumier A, Onur TS, Allen NJ. Astrocyte contribution to dysfunction, risk and progression in neurodegenerative disorders. Nature reviews. Neuroscience. 2023. doi:10.1038/s41583-022-00641-1. PMID: 36316501.
BibTeX
@article{brandebura2023-36316501,
author = {Brandebura, A. N. and Paumier, A. and Onur, T. S. and Allen, N. J.},
title = {{Astrocyte contribution to dysfunction, risk and progression in neurodegenerative disorders}},
journal = {Nature reviews. Neuroscience},
year = {2023},
doi = {10.1038/s41583-022-00641-1},
pmid = {36316501},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-022-00641-1}
}
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