Glia-neuron interactions: neurosteroids.

Glial cells have both beneficial and detrimentaleffects on recovery from brain damage and playa role in epileptogenesis. Herein, we summarizeevidence indicating that the ability of astrocytesto produce neurosteroids that reinforce c-aminobutyricacid receptor A (GABAA) functionsimpinge on epileptogenesis, as shown in temporallobe epilepsy models. For an expanded treatmentof this topic see Jasper’s Basic Mechanisms of theEpilepsies, Fourth Edition (Noebels JL, Avoli M, RogawskiMA, Olsen RW, Delgado-Escueta AV, eds)published by Oxford University Press (available onthe NCBI Bookshelf).