The Role of Astrocytes in Poststroke Rehabilitation

作者：Ying Han, Li Huang, Jiaojiao Wu, Guiling Wan, Linhong Mo, Aixian Liu · 发表于：Brain and Behavior · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1002/brb3.70551 · 被引用次数：3 · 研究领域：Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms、Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms、Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies

INTRODUCTION: Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and chronic disability worldwide. Therapeutic options to reduce stroke-related disability are still limited. Resident astrocytes are the most abundant glial cells in the brain and respond to the pathophysiological changes induced by ischemic stroke. METHODS: Comprehensive literature search and narrative review to summarize the current field of astrocytes in poststroke rehabilitation using the PubMed database. RESULTS: This review first presents that astrocyte activation is critical for scar formation, synaptogenesis, synaptic remodeling, inflammation limitation, and metabolic regulation. Next, we summarize the contributions of astrocytes to neural repair after stroke with a focus on their effects on exercise, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), music therapy, acupuncture, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), and enriched environment (EE). CONCLUSIONS: In this review, we comprehensively analyze the role and possible mechanisms of astrocytes in various rehabilitative treatments and suggest that targeting astrocytes may be an effective strategy for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies for ischemic stroke.