Synaptic Senescence in Health and Neurodegeneration: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 9 March 2026 | Viewed by 37
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Synapses are specialized structures in the nervous system that mediate communication between neurons and their target cells. They enable rapid and highly precise transmission and are essential for the functioning of both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Over the human lifespan, however, synapses undergo progressive structural and functional alterations that contribute to age-related decline in plasticity and circuit integrity. Hallmarks of synaptic senescence include reduced synaptic density, impaired neurotransmitter release, altered receptor function, defective synaptic remodelling, and the dysregulation of intracellular signalling cascades.
Elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these changes is critical for understanding the basis of nervous system aging and identifying therapeutic strategies to delay or mitigate neurodegeneration. This Special Issue invites contributions that address age-associated synaptic dysfunction in health and disease across multiple levels of analysis. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, molecular signalling pathways, cellular processes, mitochondrial dynamics, glial interactions, and neuroinflammation. Through integrating diverse methodological and conceptual approaches, this Special Issue will advance a comprehensive understanding of how synaptic senescence contributes to both normal aging and pathological decline, ultimately fostering insights that may guide the development of targeted interventions to preserve synaptic integrity.
Dr. Isabel Martinez-Pena y Valenzuela
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- synapses
- synaptic transmission
- aging
- senescent synapse
- neurodegeneration
- synaptic plasticity
- glial cells
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