Astrocyte Dysfunction in Developmental Neurometabolic Diseases

Abstract

Astrocytes play crucial roles in maintaining brain homeostasis and in orchestrating neural development, all through tightly coordinated steps that cooperate to maintain the balance needed for normal development. Here, we review the alterations in astrocyte functions that contribute to a variety of developmental neurometabolic disorders and provide additional data on the predominant role of astrocyte dysfunction in the neurometabolic neurodegenerative disease glutaric acidemia type I. Finally, we describe some of the therapeutical approaches directed to neurometabolic diseases and discuss if astrocytes can be possible therapeutic targets for treating these disorders.

Keywords: Astrocyte dysfunction; Astrocytes; Myelin damage; Neurodegeneration; Neurodevelopmental diseases.