This type of cell is active in forming fears, University of Arizona study finds

March 3, 2026

By Stacy Sullivan

A new paper with the help of a University of Arizona author is offering new insights in how the brain learns and forgets fears.

The research looked at the most common type of cell in the brain called astrocytes, which are star-shaped glial cells that are present throughout the brain. They are not well understood, but they have widely been considered to be support cells that help connect other neurons together.