Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of extracellular, zinc-dependent endopeptidases that have emerged as pivotal regulators of neural plasticity and synaptic function. In the brain, MMPs ...

Plastic and thus modifiable neurons lose their function at old age, new research in fruit flies reveals. “Our results – together with data from the mammalian brain uncovered by other research groups – ...

Researchers identify the Munc13-1 protein as a crucial molecular pathway for working memory, linking calcium signaling to ...

When we learn a new motor skill—whether mastering a piano passage or refining balance while walking—the brain must reorganize the circuits that control movement. For decades, this process of synaptic ...

Co-written with Jai Liester. Silent synapses represent one of neuroscience's most fascinating discoveries—connections between neurons that lie dormant until activated by specific triggers. These ...

How do we learn something new? How do tasks at a new job, lyrics to the latest hit song, or directions to a friend’s house become encoded in our brains? The broad answer is that our brains undergo ...

The human brain contains nearly 86 billion neurons, constantly exchanging messages like an immense social media network, but neurons do not work alone – glial cells, neurotransmitters, receptors, and ...

Exposure to a diet heavy in fats and sugars during early development primes the brain to overreact to unhealthy foods in adulthood. This combination leads to high levels of inflammation and reduced ...