Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.05.20.106153v1?rss=1 Authors: Shi, P., Li, Z., Xu, X., Nie, J., Liu, D., Cai, Q., Zhao, Y., Guan, Y., Ge, F., Guan, X. Abstract: Methamphetamine (METH) is frequently abused drug and produces cognitive deficits. METH could induce hyper-glutamatergic state in the brain, which could partially explain METH-related cognitive deficits, but the synaptic etiology remains unclear. Here, we investigated the role of dCA1 tripartite synapses and the potential therapeutic effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) in the METH withdrawal-induced spatial memory deficits. METH withdrawal weakened astrocytic capacity of Glu uptake, but failed to change Glu release from dCA3, resulting in hyper-glutamatergic excitotoxicity at dCA1 tripartite synapses. By restoring the astrocytic capacity of Glu uptake, EA treatments suppressed the hyper-glutamatergic state and normalized the excitability of postsynaptic neuron in dCA1, finally alleviated spatial memory deficits in METH withdrawal mice. These findings indicate that astrocyte at tripartite synapses might be a novel target for developing therapeutic interventions against METH-associated cognitive disorders, and EA represent a promising non-invasive therapeutic strategy for the management of drugs-caused neurotoxicity. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info