Cited by 739Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsNeurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms

Astrocytic complexity distinguishes the human brain

Oberheim, Nancy Ann, Wang, Xiaohai, Goldman, Steven, Nedergaard, Maiken·2006·Trends in Neurosciences

Abstract

One of the most distinguishing features of the adult human brain is the complexity and diversity of its cortical astrocytes. Human protoplasmic astrocytes manifest a threefold larger diameter and have tenfold more primary processes than those of rodents. In all mammals, protoplasmic astrocytes are organized into spatially non-overlapping domains that encompass both neurons and vasculature. Yet unique to humans and primates are additional populations of layer 1 interlaminar astrocytes that extend long (millimeter) fibers, and layer 5-6 polarized astrocytes that also project distinctive long processes. We propose that human cortical evolution has been accompanied by increasing complexity in the form and function of astrocytes, which reflects an expansion of their functional roles in synaptic modulation and cortical circuitry.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.tins.2006.08.004

Cites

63 of 63 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Oberheim, N. A., Wang, X., Goldman, S., & Nedergaard, M.
Affiliations
University of Rochester Medicine (US)
Corresponding author
Nedergaard, Maiken
Venue
Trends in Neurosciences
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2006-10
Volume
29
Issue
10
Pages
547-553
ISSN
0166-2236 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2152460583
Cited by
739
References
63
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 38 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 53 · 2020: 48 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 32 · 2017: 42 · 2016: 48 · 2015: 42 · 2014: 47 · 2013: 40 · 2012: 42
FWCI
1.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Trends in Neurosciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS38073, R01NS038073, NS 30007)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
Keywords
astrocytes, protoplasmic astrocyte, astrocyte morphology, human brain evolution, cortical evolution, synaptic modulation, cortical circuits
MeSH terms
Adult, Animals, Astrocytes, Brain, Biological Evolution, Humans

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review