A CMOS neuromorphic approach to emulate neuro-astrocyte interactions

A CMOS neuromorphic circuit is proposed with two main features. First, we emulate the uptake of neurotransmitters by astrocytes, a type of glial cell, that plays an active role in the coordination of information between neurons. Second, we propose a synapse inactivation mechanism, which prevents the saturation of postsynaptic neurons in the absence of an astrocytic process. We show the influence of both mechanisms on the firing of a small network of neurons interacting with an astrocyte. We also incorporate the release of gliotransmitters by the astrocytic microdomain into this network according to the activities of neighbor synapses. This work contribute to better understanding the importance of astrocytes in neuro-glia interactions, and illustrates the active role astrocytes play.

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