Challenges and opportunities of advanced gliomodulation technologies for excitation-inhibition balance of brain networks

[Display omitted] •Glia regulate information processing in neural network communication.•Glia modulate functions of brain circuits and alter behavioral outputs.•Gliomodulation technology can selectively drive glial activity to modulate network excitation/inhibition balance. Recent neuroscience studies have highlighted the critical role of glial cells in information processing. This has increased the demand for technologies that selectively modulate glial cells that regulate the excitation-inhibition balance of neural network function. Engineered technologies that modulate glial activity may be necessary for precise tuning of neural network activity in higher-order brain function. This perspective summarizes how glial cells regulate excitation and inhibition of neural circuits, highlights available technologies for glial modulation, and discusses current challenges and potential opportunities for glial engineering technologies.