Oxytocin (OXT), a neuropeptide hormone essential to a wide range of social functions, has drawn increasing attention as a crucial contributor to the neurobiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Ce...

Gu et al. showed that in rats fed a high-salt diet, reactive microglia accumulate around vasopressin-secreting neurons, phagocytosing astrocytic elements and pruning astrocytes. This causes glutamate spillover, increased neuronal activity, and excessive vasopressin release, contributing to salt-induced hypertension. The study reveals a novel mechanism by which microglia regulate synaptic transmission and neuronal activity through structural remodeling of astrocytes in the adult brain.