Synaptic Diseases: From Biology to Potential Therapy

It has been known that a fair number of brain diseases arise from mutations in genes encoding synaptic or synapse-related proteins. These mutations disrupt synapses and are responsible for a variety of synaptic diseases including childhood onset developmental disorders, adolescent or young adult onset disorders like anxiety and schizophrenia, as well as later onset neurodegenerative disorders. Over the next few decades, the challenges in the field of synaptic diseases, will not only be in the identification of disease-associated genes, but will also be in defining the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which the genetic mutations confer disease risk and phenotypes. Investigation of the biology of synaptic diseases will shed light on the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern the function of the nervous system. It may also lead to the discovery of potential therapy for synaptopathies.

This Research Topic will focus on the recent development and ideas in the study of the common forms of synaptic diseases, including neurodevelopmental disorders like fragile X syndrome and Rett syndrome, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, and psychiatric disorders like anxiety, depression and schizophrenia. The scope of this Research Topic includes, but is not limited to: structural and functional alterations in model organisms of synaptic diseases; molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying synaptopathies; neural and behavioral responses to potential therapeutic strategies for synaptic disorders; genetic and/or pharmacological manipulation of synapses in model systems and its translational relevance to synaptic diseases; and experimental procedures or technology development aimed at understanding or treating synaptopathies.