The aim of this paper is to present an overview of three peptides that, by improving synaptic function, enhance learning and memory in laboratory rodents. We summarize their structure, their mechanisms of action, and their effects on synaptic and cognitive function. First we describe FGL, a peptide...
Read Full ArticlePhosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) controls neuronal growth and synaptic function not only during embryonic and postnatal development but also throughout adult life. Direct recruitment of PTEN to the postsynaptic membrane drives synaptic depression. PTEN's action at...
Read Full ArticleDyshomeostasis of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) is responsible for synaptic malfunctions leading to cognitive deficits ranging from mild impairment to full-blown dementia in Alzheimer's disease. Aβ appears to skew synaptic plasticity events toward depression. We found that inhibition of PTEN, a...
Read Full ArticleCholesterol reduction at the neuronal plasma membrane has been related to age-dependent cognitive decline. We have used senescent-accelerated mice strain 8 (SAMP8), an animal model for aging, to examine the association between cholesterol loss and cognitive impairment and to test strategies to...
Read Full Article“Cognitive enhancement” is commonly associated with drug use or the use of devices to improve cognition, technologies that have on the whole been established in laboratory animals or through a history of use in humans. In this chapter we aim to clarify the concept underlying “cognitive...
Read Full ArticleThe concept of improving cognitive performance is particularly enticing, not just to ameliorate mental illness or slow-down physiological cognitive decline with aging, but also to enhance our natural cognitive abilities. There has been considerable progress in understanding the neuronal mechanisms...
Read Full ArticleAlzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading neurodegenerative disease worldwide and the expected rise in patient numbers is a critical threat to our health care systems. Current treatment strategies are of limited efficacy and only transiently active. Thus, there is an urgent need for a better...
Read Full ArticleAMPA-type receptors (AMPARs) are glutamate-gated channels whose postsynaptic activation convey the major depolarization in brain excitatory neurotransmission. Trafficking of these receptors to and from synapses is tightly regulated in neurons and underlies long-lasting forms of synaptic plasticity....
Read Full ArticleCell adhesion molecules and downstream growth factor-dependent signaling are critical for brain development and synaptic plasticity, and they have been linked to cognitive function in adult animals. We have previously developed a mimetic peptide (FGL) from the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM)...
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