Neural Plasticity

Connecting Synaptic Activity with Plasticity-Related Gene Expression: From Molecular Mechanisms to Neurological Disorders


Publishing date
05 Feb 2016
Status
Published
Submission deadline
18 Sep 2015

Lead Editor

1University of Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile

2Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands


Connecting Synaptic Activity with Plasticity-Related Gene Expression: From Molecular Mechanisms to Neurological Disorders

Description

One of the most enticing questions in neurobiology is how synapse activation can lead to the expression of certain genes that help maintain synaptic changes over time. To make these changes persistent, it is necessary to activate a series of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that orchestrate the expression of genes encoding proteins involved in both synaptic plasticity and memory. We still understand very little about the underlying molecular mechanisms by which synaptic strength is modulated. A fragmentary picture is emerging through the identification of molecules whose loss of function interferes with the experimental expression of synaptic plasticity. These molecules represent a variety of classes of cellular functions ranging from transcription and translation to trophic signaling to cell-cell adhesion. Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that allow such activity-dependent expression of plasticity-related genes will allow us to understand how these mechanisms can be altered in some neurological diseases, opening thus the possibility of unraveling novel therapeutic targets to restore normal neuronal function.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Cellular machinery required for transcriptional and translational activation of plasticity-related genes
  • Interaction of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms involved in plasticity
  • Regulatory mechanisms of plasticity-related genes mediated by DNA methylation
  • Mechanisms of regulation of plasticity-related genes mediated by histone acetylation/deacetylation
  • Regulation of the plasticity-related genes expression by small and long noncoding RNAs
  • Mechanism of axonal and mRNA trafficking and regulation of their local expression by activity-dependent plasticity
  • Cellular signaling pathways that lead to activation of plasticity-related genes
  • Neurological diseases associated with alterations in the mechanisms regulating plasticity-related genes

Articles

  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2016
  • - Article ID 7149527
  • - Editorial

Connecting Synaptic Activity with Plasticity-Related Gene Expression: From Molecular Mechanisms to Neurological Disorders

Pablo Muñoz | Armaz Aschrafi | Pablo R. Moya
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2016
  • - Article ID 3456783
  • - Research Article

Astaxanthin Protects Primary Hippocampal Neurons against Noxious Effects of Aβ-Oligomers

Pedro Lobos | Barbara Bruna | ... | Andrea Paula-Lima
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2016
  • - Article ID 8607038
  • - Review Article

Plasticity of Hippocampal Excitatory-Inhibitory Balance: Missing the Synaptic Control in the Epileptic Brain

Christian Bonansco | Marco Fuenzalida
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2016
  • - Article ID 7434191
  • - Review Article

Potential Role of JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway in the Neurogenic-to-Gliogenic Shift in Down Syndrome Brain

Han-Chung Lee | Kai-Leng Tan | ... | King-Hwa Ling
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2016
  • - Article ID 9603751
  • - Review Article

Synaptic Wnt/GSK3β Signaling Hub in Autism

Mario O. Caracci | Miguel E. Ávila | Giancarlo V. De Ferrari
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2016
  • - Article ID 4145708
  • - Research Article

Amyloid-Beta Induced Changes in Vesicular Transport of BDNF in Hippocampal Neurons

Bianca Seifert | Robert Eckenstaler | ... | Tanja Brigadski
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2016
  • - Article ID 4569785
  • - Research Article

Programming of Dopaminergic Neurons by Neonatal Sex Hormone Exposure: Effects on Dopamine Content and Tyrosine Hydroxylase Expression in Adult Male Rats

Pedro Espinosa | Roxana A. Silva | ... | Ramón Sotomayor-Zárate
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2016
  • - Article ID 3425908
  • - Review Article

Structural, Synaptic, and Epigenetic Dynamics of Enduring Memories

Ossama Khalaf | Johannes Gräff
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2016
  • - Article ID 4280407
  • - Research Article

The Three-Dimensional Culture System with Matrigel and Neurotrophic Factors Preserves the Structure and Function of Spiral Ganglion Neuron In Vitro

Gaoying Sun | Wenwen Liu | ... | Haibo Wang
  • Special Issue
  • - Volume 2016
  • - Article ID 7027949
  • - Review Article

Transcriptional Control of Synaptic Plasticity by Transcription Factor NF-κB

Christian Engelmann | Ronny Haenold
Neural Plasticity
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Acceptance rate12%
Submission to final decision134 days
Acceptance to publication26 days
CiteScore5.700
Journal Citation Indicator0.610
Impact Factor3.1
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