In this episode, we welcome neuroscientist Michele Bellesi from the University of Camerino to explore the fascinating world of glial cells and their dynamic role in sleep.

Michele guides us through the four types of glial cells:

• Astrocytes: Regulators of synaptic function and help form the blood brain barrier (BBB)
• Oligodendrocytes: Crucial for myelination and fast signal transmission
• Microglia: The brain's immune sentinels, important for responding to infection and injury as well as shaping the synaptic landscape
• Ependymal Cells: Involved in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production and CFS movement around the brain

We dive into how each of these cells types behaves differently across wake, sleep and sleep deprivation and the impacts on each cell types function.

Find out more about Michele's work here and see relevant papers below.

• The role of sleep and wakefulness in myelin plasticity, 2019, Glia
• Sleep loss promotes astrocytic phagocytosis and microglial activation in mouse cerebral cortex, 2017, Journal of Neuroscience
• Effects of sleep and wake on astrocytes: clues from molecular and ultrastructural studies, 2015, BMC Biology

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