Synaptic plasticity is the ability of synapses to modify their strength and efficacy, and has long been postulated to mediate experience-dependent remodeling of neural circuits that ultimately underlies memory formation at various timescales. Over the last two decades, there has been a growing interest and important developments in conceptual ideas that dysregulation of synaptic plasticity in the diseased brain could lead, in principle, to maladaptive circuit function underlying cognitive deficits and behavioral impairments in psychiatric and neurological disorders. Recent technological advances in neuroscience tools, including viral vector-based gene transfer, genome editing, optogenetics, chemogenetics, optical calcium imaging, super-resolution microscopy, single cell transcriptome and epigenome sequencing have also revolutionized the study of synaptic transmission and plasticity in neural circuits underlying behavior.
In this Research Topic, we encourage researchers to highlight new conceptual advances in the field of synaptic plasticity that bridge the gaps between synaptic plasticity and information processing in neuronal circuits in the normal brain as well as the disease pathogenesis of an array of neuropsychiatric and neurological conditions. We welcome contributions that leverage modern techniques to provide insights into novel aspects of synaptic plasticity by linking mechanisms controlling synaptic plasticity at the molecular, cellular, network, and behavioral levels. Particularly, the following topics are of high interest:
During development- how different forms of homeostatic plasticity fine tune neural circuit wiring for optimal information processing.
During adulthood - how animals’ behavioral experience (e.g. drug seeking behavior) rewires neural circuits through homeostatic plasticity to influence subsequent learning/behavior.
Cross-modal plasticity- When one sensory modality is deprived, what changes occur in cortical and subcortical circuits that drive compensatory behavioral changes for better survival?
Hebbian plasticity and metaplasticity- focusing on novel activity- and experience-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity.
Mechanistic basis of synaptic plasticity- with emphasis on emerging mechanisms controlling synaptic plasticity at the pre- and postsynaptic levels such as the alteration of synaptic protein composition (trafficking/synthesis/ degradation), protein-protein interaction, and their posttranslational modifications (signal transduction).
Neuromodulation- Neuromodulatory regulation of synaptic plasticity by cytokines, chemokines and brain neuropeptides.
In psychiatric and neurological disorders- how synaptic plasticity (or lack thereof) drives neuropathophysiology (or can synaptic plasticity be a target for therapeutics).
Synaptic plasticity is the ability of synapses to modify their strength and efficacy, and has long been postulated to mediate experience-dependent remodeling of neural circuits that ultimately underlies memory formation at various timescales. Over the last two decades, there has been a growing interest and important developments in conceptual ideas that dysregulation of synaptic plasticity in the diseased brain could lead, in principle, to maladaptive circuit function underlying cognitive deficits and behavioral impairments in psychiatric and neurological disorders. Recent technological advances in neuroscience tools, including viral vector-based gene transfer, genome editing, optogenetics, chemogenetics, optical calcium imaging, super-resolution microscopy, single cell transcriptome and epigenome sequencing have also revolutionized the study of synaptic transmission and plasticity in neural circuits underlying behavior.
In this Research Topic, we encourage researchers to highlight new conceptual advances in the field of synaptic plasticity that bridge the gaps between synaptic plasticity and information processing in neuronal circuits in the normal brain as well as the disease pathogenesis of an array of neuropsychiatric and neurological conditions. We welcome contributions that leverage modern techniques to provide insights into novel aspects of synaptic plasticity by linking mechanisms controlling synaptic plasticity at the molecular, cellular, network, and behavioral levels. Particularly, the following topics are of high interest:
During development- how different forms of homeostatic plasticity fine tune neural circuit wiring for optimal information processing.
During adulthood - how animals’ behavioral experience (e.g. drug seeking behavior) rewires neural circuits through homeostatic plasticity to influence subsequent learning/behavior.
Cross-modal plasticity- When one sensory modality is deprived, what changes occur in cortical and subcortical circuits that drive compensatory behavioral changes for better survival?
Hebbian plasticity and metaplasticity- focusing on novel activity- and experience-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity.
Mechanistic basis of synaptic plasticity- with emphasis on emerging mechanisms controlling synaptic plasticity at the pre- and postsynaptic levels such as the alteration of synaptic protein composition (trafficking/synthesis/ degradation), protein-protein interaction, and their posttranslational modifications (signal transduction).
Neuromodulation- Neuromodulatory regulation of synaptic plasticity by cytokines, chemokines and brain neuropeptides.
In psychiatric and neurological disorders- how synaptic plasticity (or lack thereof) drives neuropathophysiology (or can synaptic plasticity be a target for therapeutics).
