Newfound brain network is a ‘secret system’ made of helper cells

Brain cells called astrocytes form extensive networks in the mouse brain that are similar in some ways to those formed by neurons. Researchers have compiled a whole-brain 3D map of astrocyte networks — the first of its kind, they say. The atlas reveals how webs of these cells connect far-flung regions of the brain, allowing them to exchange molecules with each other over long distances.