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Abstract:
Healthy brain function depends on the intricate interplay between neurons and glial cells, particularly astrocytes, which are ubiquitously present in the cortex. Two fundamental open questions in the field are how neuron-astrocyte circuits are anatomically organized and how this structural framework gives rise to cognitively relevant functions. While the astrocyte connectome remains uncharted mainly, the characterization of neuron-astrocyte graphs by tripartite synaptic connections—where astrocytes both sense and modulate synaptic transmission—offers a compelling theoretical foundation to define a new class of astrocyte-mediated attractors in neural dynamics. In this talk, we explore the emergence of these attractors in the context of multistable working memory tasks. Additionally, we examine some anatomical constraints that might shape their formation, aiming at providing key insights into the structural principles governing astrocyte physiology.

Short Biosketch:
Dr. Maurizio De Pitta is a computational neuroscientist at the Krembil Research Institute and Principal Investigator of the Krembil Computational Neuroscience Hub. His interdisciplinary research integrates computational modeling, synthetic biology, machine learning, and translational neuroscience to explore how neuron-glial interactions shape brain circuits in health and disease. A pioneer in the field of computational glioscience, Dr. De Pitta is internationally recognized for advancing theories of cognition that incorporate the physiological roles of glial cells. His work offers critical insights into the mechanisms of neurological disorders and supports the development of novel diagnostics and therapeutic approaches, resolving neuron-glial interactions from the genome to the behavioral levels.