Date Time Astrocytes influence behaviour Scientists at FAU and their colleagues in Spain have discovered that astrocytes in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) play an important role in the brain in goal-directed behaviour when weighing up the advantages and disadvantages of a decision. They have recently published their findings in the journal Nature Neuroscience. Up to now, scientists have often presumed that only neurons, which are the cells responsible for carrying electrical impulses in the brain, play a role in decision-making processes. However, a collaborative project involving the laboratories of Prof. Dr. Alexey Ponomarenko, Professorship for Physiology at FAU, and Dr. Gertrudis Perea from the Cajal Institute in Madrid, Spain in partnership with the New York University Langone Medical Center, has now proven that astrocytes play the central role in decision making. Astrocytes are a type of glial cell, which form the scaffolding for nerve cells. Experiments conducted by the study’s lead author, Dr. Sara Mederos, demonstrated that the star-shaped cells in the prefrontal cortex generate the balance required between signal transmitting neurons and inactive neurons. This equilibrium needs to be in place for the brain to make decisions quickly and successfully.