Imaging the interaction of astrocytes and neurons

Molecular imaging of the interaction between astrocytes and neurons in humans is an important yet challenging task. While previous studies indicated that activation of astrocytes may contribute to the loss of neurons, the paper by Crine et al. in this issue found the opposite, a corresponding decline of imaging markers for astrocytes and dopaminergic neurons. This is a comment on the limitations and future perspectives for research on the interaction between glia and neuronal survival in aging and neurodegenerative diseases in humans.