Small Molecular Therapeutics Promoting Neuronal Plasticity, Hippocampal Learning, and Memory
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cells of the Nervous System".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 3379
Special Issue Editor
2. Research and Development Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
Interests: microglia; astroglia; neural stem cells; neuroinflammatory; neurodegenerative diseases; mitochondrial metabolism; misfolding of α-synuclein; neuronal plasticity
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
A synaptic transmission is an event by which a neuron relays information to the next neuron through the synapse. Typically, synaptic vesicles containing ions, metabolites, and neurotransmitters are released via pre-synaptic neurons and are then absorbed by post-synaptic neurons. While receiving these signaling vesicles, a post-synaptic neuron orchestrates a series of modifications on its dendrites to facilitate this neurotransmission. Some of these modifications include stretching the length of basal dendrites, the formation of new dendritic branches, the synthesis and maturation of dendritic spines, and the augmentation of metabotropic calcium flow. Collectively, these events are known as morphological plasticity. The preservation of morphological plasticity in a healthy brain is critical in the execution of cognitive tasks including learning and memory. However, the role of morphological plasticity has not been properly studied in the context of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Overwhelming evidence suggests that an AD brain might be associated with compromised neuronal plasticity. If this is the case, how can it be improved or restored? This Special Issue will be dedicated to the molecular alterations of morphological plasticity in the neurons of AD brains. It will also focus on the potential benefits and drawbacks of small molecular therapeutics on the preservation, restoration, and upregulation of morphological plasticity.
Dr. Avik Roy
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- synaptic transmission
- dendritic spines
- metabotropic calcium influx
- dendritic morphogenesis
- small molecular therapeutics promoting neuronal plasticity
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