Edited By: Benjamin Hall
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Synapse is a neuroscience journal examining new research pertaining to all aspects of synaptic structure and function. Articles investigate neurology, neuroscience, psychology and psychiatry, reaching a wide audience of neuroscientists, neurobiologists, biochemists and more.
Articles are available online within 5 days of acceptance to facilitate rapid knowledge transfer in this ever-developing field.
Supporting Authors
In order to optimize the peer-review process and to minimize duplication of effort for authors, reviewers, and editors, Synapse collaborates with Brain and Behavior through Wiley's Manuscript Transfer Program.
Brain and Behavior is a peer-reviewed, open access, interdisciplinary journal, providing rapid publication of scientifically sound research across neurology, neuroscience, psychology and psychiatry.
Read the full Aims and Scope here.
On the Cover
Articles
Corticotropin‐releasing factor‐dopamine interactions in male and female macaque: Beyond the classic VTA
- 23 November 2023
Graphical Abstract
Using light and electron microscopy, we investigated CRF/Dopamine interactions in two subregions of the ventral midbrain associated with “salience” coding. CRF-positive synaptic terminals in the parabrachial pigmented nucleus (A10) and retrorubral field (A8) predominantly make symmetric synapses onto TH-negative profiles. We hypothesize that under stress, CRF may enhance inhibitory effects on TH-negative profiles (presumptive GABA interneurons), resulting in a disinhibition of DA neurons.
Gating small conductance calcium‐activated potassium channels in the thalamic reticular nucleus
- 14 October 2023
Graphical Abstract
SK channel modulators affect firing pattern and frequency in TRN neurons. SK NAM NS8593 reduces the AHP and increases TRN firing. Positive modulation of SK channels increases the AHP. NS309, which acts more potently on SK channels than CyPPA, reduces TRN firing.
Learning induces EPO/EPOr expression in memory relevant brain areas, whereas exogenously applied EPO promotes remote memory consolidation
- 4 October 2023
Graphical Abstract
(A) Exploring the experimental arena for 3 min induces an increase in the expression of endogenous EPO and its receptor in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. The increase is higher if training is prolonged to 5 min. (B) Animals identify object displacement and explore more the moved object, but only up to 4 h after training. (C) Exogenously applied EPO 10 min after training prolongs memory up to, at least 21 days, and correlates with an increased expression of plasticity-related genes.
Quantal size increase induced by the endocannabinoid 2‐arachidonoylglycerol requires activation of CGRP receptors in mouse motor synapses
- 11 September 2023
Graphical Abstract
In mouse motor synapses, exogenous 2-AG triggers the following hypothetical chain of events: the activation of CB1 receptors, the subsequent activation of PLC, and the release of stored Ca2+ via RyR (possibly involving IP3R). This may lead to the exocytosis of dense-core vesicles containing CGRP, the activation of presynaptic CGRP receptors, and thus to the PKA-dependent upregulation of acetylcholine vesicular transport. Similar chain of events may also take place during the tetanic activity of neuromuscular preparations due to the release of some endogenous endocannabinoid (presumably 2-AG).
Autoradiographic characterization of [18F]PSMA-1007 binding in rat brain
- 3 July 2023
Graphical Abstract
Graphical Abstract: We used the clinical PET tracer [18F]-PSMA-1007 for an autoradiographic characterization of carboxypeptidase II (CBPII) in rat brain and show that it has excellent binding properties for autoradiography in brain cryostat sections. This enables its use for autoradiographic investigations of CBPII expression in animal models of human neuropsychiatric conditions.
Abnormal [18F]NIFENE binding in transgenic 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease: In vivo PET/CT imaging studies of α4β2* nicotinic acetylcholinergic receptors and in vitro correlations with Aβ plaques
- Synapse
- 7 February 2023
Graphical Abstract
PET radiotracer [18F]nifene was used to study α4β2* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the transgenic 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. The 5xFAD mice with Aβ plaques and microglia showed increased non-displaceable binding of [18F]nifene in the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex compared to control C57BL/6 mice.
Insulin decreases epileptiform activity in rat layer 5/6 prefrontal cortex in vitro
- Synapse
- 2 February 2023
Graphical Abstract
In PFC neurons, epileptiform activity was determined by the recording seizure-like events (SLEs) induced by 4-AP. The frequency, amplitude, duration, and synchronicity of these SLEs were decreased by insulin. Insulin increases GABAergic tonic currents by inserting of α5 and δ subunit-containing GABAARs in the postsynaptic membrane reducing seizure activity.
Spinophilin‐dependent regulation of GluN2B‐containing NMDAR‐dependent calcium influx, GluN2B surface expression, and cleaved caspase expression
- Synapse
- 4 February 2023
Graphical Abstract
We found that spinophilin limits GluN2B surface expression independent of its ability to regulate Ser-1284 phosphorylation. Moreover, global spinophilin knockout mice had decreased total synaptic and NMDAR protein levels, but an increase in GluN2B surface expression in the residual NMDAR pool. Moreover, loss of spinophilin increases cleaved caspase expression in hippocampal neurons.
Synaptic dysfunction in schizophrenia
- Synapse
- 21 May 2023
Graphical Abstract
Genetic and environmental factors cause a decrease in top-down inhibition by increasing synaptic loss. This leads to mesolimbic pathway hyperactivation, mesocortical pathway hypoactivation, and inefficient processing of information, resulting in positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms.
Chronic resveratrol administration reduces oxidative stress and brain cell loss and improves memory of recognition in old rats
- Synapse
- 2 May 2023
Graphical Abstract
Male Wistar rats were administered 10 mg/kg of resveratrol for 18 months, object recognition memory, oxidative stress markers, the endogenous antioxidant system and cellular capacity in three brain regions were analyzed. The results demonstrated the antioxidant and neuroprotective capacity of the resveratrol in the analyzed regions and improvement in memory function.
Autoradiographic characterization of [18F]PSMA-1007 binding in rat brain
- Synapse
- 3 July 2023
Graphical Abstract
Graphical Abstract: We used the clinical PET tracer [18F]-PSMA-1007 for an autoradiographic characterization of carboxypeptidase II (CBPII) in rat brain and show that it has excellent binding properties for autoradiography in brain cryostat sections. This enables its use for autoradiographic investigations of CBPII expression in animal models of human neuropsychiatric conditions.
[11C]PBB3 binding in Aβ(–) or Aβ(+) corticobasal syndrome
- Synapse
- 23 March 2023
Graphical Abstract
Number of study participants and representative Tau PET from the patients and controls.
Neuroprotective mechanism of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell‐derived extracellular vesicles improving the phenotype polarization of microglia via the PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 pathway in vascular dementia
- Synapse
- 20 March 2023
Graphical Abstract
The increase of Nrf2 m6A modification induced by FTO downregulation promotes hippocampal neuron injury and aggravates the progression of epilepsy in a rat model
- Synapse
- 30 April 2023
Graphical Abstract
The downregulation of the eraser protein FTO expression leads to the upregulation of the m6A methylation level of Nrf2, and the m6A reader YTHDF2 directly binds to the m6A methylated Nrf2 mRNA and promotes its degradation, leading to the decrease of neuronal cell vitality and the increase of cell apoptosis.
Role of Stat3 in NLRP3/caspase‐1‐mediated hippocampal neuronal pyroptosis in epileptic mice
- Synapse
- 27 December 2021
Graphical Abstract
In epilepsy, p-Stat3 promotes the H3K9ac in the NLRP3 promoter region to facilitate NLRP3 transcription and increase protein levels of NLRP3, cleaved-caspase-1, GSDMD-N, IL-1β, and IL-18 levels, thus driving neuronal pyroptosis.
Glutamate potentiates heterologously expressed homomeric acid‐sensing ion channel 1a
- Synapse
- 14 February 2022
Graphical Abstract
In the present work, we have shown that glutamate in physiological concentrations potentiates the response of homomeric ASIC1a channels by shifting pH dependence of their activation. This effect can in theory compensate for the pH-dependent inhibition of glutamate receptors, which might occur during synaptic transmission.
Effect of cadmium administration on the antioxidant system and neuronal death in the hippocampus of rats
- Synapse
- 16 June 2022
Graphical Abstract
Graphical Abstract
Cadmium induces oxidative/nitrosative stress that in the long term causes a chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative process in the rat hippocampus.
Association between abnormal brain oscillations and cognitive performance in patients with bipolar disorder: Molecular mechanisms and clinical evidence
- Synapse
- 18 July 2022
Graphical Abstract
Abnormalities in resting-state (delta, theta, and alpha) and evoked/event-related (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma) oscillations in different areas of the brain can associate with the neurocognitive impairments in bipolar patients.
Does astrocyte gap junction protein expression differ during development in absence epileptic rats?
- Synapse
- 8 February 2022
Graphical Abstract
The number of astrocytic GJs protein connexin 30 of genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg showed developmental disproportional expression in the epileptic focal areas compared to Wistar control animals. That can be related to the onset of absence seizures or may be related to the neurogenesis of absence epilepsy.
Limited power of dopamine transporter mRNA mapping for predicting dopamine transporter availability
- Synapse
- 1 February 2022
Graphical Abstract
Effects of selective orexin receptor‐2 and cannabinoid receptor‐1 antagonists on the response of medial prefrontal cortex neurons to tramadol
- Synapse
- 21 March 2022
Graphical Abstract
Tramadol, an opioid analgesic, can acutely affect the neuronal activity of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which is part of the reward pathway and is involved in addiction. These effects are probably mediated by the orexinergic system and its type 2 receptors (OX2Rs), as well as the endocannabinoid system and its type 1 receptors (CB1Rs). OX2Rs and CB1Rs may interact to mediate the effects of tramadol on the mPFC.
Abstinence following intermittent methylphenidate exposure dose‐dependently modifies brain glucose metabolism in the rat brain
- Synapse
- 21 June 2022
Graphical Abstract
This experiment analyzed the effects of chronic oral methylphenidate (MP) administration and abstinence on 71, 4-week-old, all male, Sprague-Dawley rats using FDG-PET. Results indicate no significant differences between experimental and control groups after 13 weeks of chronic use; however, changes in brain glucose activation were observed following abstinence.
Dopamine‐transporter heterozygous rats carrying maternal wild‐type allele are more vulnerable to the development of compulsive behavior
- Synapse
- 30 June 2022
Graphical Abstract
Individual differences in the positive outcome from adolescent ketamine treatment in a female mouse model of anorexia nervosa involve drebrin A at excitatory synapses of the medial prefrontal cortex
- Synapse
- 19 September 2022
Graphical Abstract
Ketamine-induced increase of drebrin A at excitatory synapses on pyramidal and GABA neurons of medial prefrontal cortex confers resilience against anorexia-like maladaptive behaviors.
