L. Felipe Barros1,2, Stefanie Schirmeier3 and Bruno Weber4 1Centro de Estudios Científicos, Valdivia 5110465, Chile 2Universidad San Sebastián, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Valdivia 5110693, Chile 3Technische Universität Dresden, Department of Biology, 01217 Dresden, Germany 4University of Zurich, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland Correspondence: bweberpharma.uzh.ch

Astrocytic metabolism has taken center stage. Interposed between the neuron and the vasculature, astrocytes exert control over the fluxes of energy and building blocks required for neuronal activity and plasticity. They are also key to local detoxification and waste recycling. Whereas neurons are metabolically rigid, astrocytes can switch between different metabolic profiles according to local demand and the nutritional state of the organism. Their metabolic state even seems to be instructive for peripheral nutrient mobilization and has been implicated in information processing and behavior. Here, we summarize recent progress in our understanding of astrocytic metabolism and its effects on metabolic homeostasis and cognition.