Mood disorders are glial disorders: Fikri Birey at TEDxSBU

Glia, the non-neuronal cell population of the human brain that outnumbers neurons by a factor of ten, has long been seen as passive glue that just holds the neurons together with little functional significance in normal brain physiology. Today, glia are no longer seen as a lifeless scaffold to neurons: We can now identify subtypes of glia in the central nervous system with a vast array of functions that instruct and maintain effective neuronal communication. In spite of the advances that revealed underlying glial dysfunction in many brain pathologies such as ALS, MS and epilepsy, the status of glia in neuropsychiatric disorders, like Major Depressive Disorder, remain elusive. This presentation explores the themes above, shares a finding that a certain subtype of glia could be directly involved in the emergence of depressive behaviors and suggests that the forgotten 90% of the brain could be a valuable venue for novel antidepressant discovery. In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)