  Finding the origin of slow and infra-slow oscillations could reveal or
explain brain mechanisms in health and disease. Here, we present a
biophysically constrained computational model of a neural network where the
inclusion of astrocytes introduced slow and infra-slow-oscillations, through
two distinct mechanisms. Specifically, we show how astrocytes can modulate the
fast network activity through their slow inter-cellular calcium wave speed and
amplitude and possibly cause the oscillatory imbalances observed in diseases
commonly known for such abnormalities, namely Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's
disease, epilepsy, depression and ischemic stroke. This work aims to increase
our knowledge on how astrocytes and neurons synergize to affect brain function
and dysfunction.
