Biology and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies for Synaptic Disorders

Synapses are fundamental microstructures that serve as the principal platforms for learning, memory and other higher functions of central nervous system. Each of the billions of neurons in the human brain can form thousands of synapses, which continuously adapt and respond to external stimuli via synaptic plasticity. Disorders of synapses, involving dysfunction, structural changes and/or loss of synapses, are associated with the onset and progression of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Over the past decades, tremendous advancement has been in the identification of disease-associated genes for synaptic disorders, and in defining the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which the genetic mutations confer disease risk and phenotypes. Further Investigation of the biology of synaptic disorders will shed light on the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern the function of the nervous system, and might eventually lead to the discovery of potential therapy for neurological and psychiatric diseases.



Synapses are fundamental microstructures that serve as the principal platforms for learning, memory and other higher functions of central nervous system. Each of the billions of neurons in the human brain can form thousands of synapses, which continuously adapt and respond to external stimuli via synaptic plasticity. Disorders of synapses, involving dysfunction, structural changes and/or loss of synapses, are associated with the onset and progression of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Over the past decades, tremendous advancement has been made in the identification of disease-associated genes for synaptic disorders, and in defining the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which the genetic mutations confer disease risk and phenotypes. Further investigation of the biology of synaptic disorders will shed light on the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern the function of the nervous system, and might eventually lead to the discovery of potential therapy for neurological and psychiatric diseases.

This Research Topic will focus on the study of the common forms of synaptic disorders, including neurodevelopmental disorders like autism spectrum disorders, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease, and psychiatric diseases like anxiety, depression and schizophrenia. The Research Topic will include research work on the structural and/or functional alterations of synapses and their molecular and cellular mechanisms in neurological and psychiatric diseases, and the potential therapeutic strategies for those diseases. It will highlight the recent progress in both basic research in animal or other model systems and relevant clinical studies for synaptic disorders.