The important role of astrocytes in activity pattern transition of the subthalamopallidal network related to Parkinson's disease

Abstract

This paper integrates astrocytes into the subthalamopallodal network model associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) to simulate the firing activity of this circuit. Under different network connectivity modes, we primarily investigate the role of astrocytes in the discharge rhythm of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the external segment of the globus pallidus (GPe). First, with varying synaptic coupling, the STN-GPe model generates five typical waveforms corresponding to the severity of PD symptoms in a sparsely coupled network in turn. Subsequently, astrocytes are included in the STN-GPe circuit. When they have an inhibitory effect on the STN and an excitatory effect on the GPe, the pathological discharge pattern of the network can be destroyed or even eliminated under appropriate conditions. At the same time, the high degree of synchrony between neurons and the power of the beta band weakens. In addition, we find that the astrocytic effect on the GPe plays a dominant role in the regulatory process. Finally, the tightly coupled network can also generate five different, highly correlated sustained discharge waveforms, including in-phase and anti-phase cluster synchronization. The effective regulation of the pathological state of PD, which involves improvements in the discharge patterns, synchronization, and beta oscillations, is achieved when astrocytes inhibit the STN and excite the GPe. It is worth noting that the regulatory influence of astrocytes on PD is shown to be robust, and independent of the network connectivity, to some extent. This work contributes to understanding the role of astrocytes in PD, providing insights for the treatment and regulation of PD.