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Special Feature: Synapse Assembly, Neural Circuit Development, and Brain Disorders
Synapses are basic computational information-processing units that connect the billions of neurons to form the millions of neural circuits that underlie all brain functions. During the last century, our understanding of key mechanisms of synapse and neural circuit development has greatly expanded on multiple levels in parallel with advances in our understanding of molecular and cellular aspects of various neuron and synapse types. Experimental & Molecular Medicine's 2018 Special Issue, “Synapse Assembly, Neural Circuit Development, and Brain Disorders”, discusses how synaptic proteins contribute to various aspects of synapse assembly—and by extension, neural circuit assembly—how their dysfunctions are linked to a multitude of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. Experts in the molecular neuroscience field have contributed to six review articles for this Special Issue, with each providing deep insights into the roles of a variety of synaptic proteins in building neuronal architectures.
