Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
L
IST OF
A
BBREVIATIONS
AD, Alzheimer's disease
AMPA, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid
Arc, Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein
BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor
CaMKII, Ca
2+
/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II
CBP, CREB-binding protein
CDK, cyclin-dependent protein kinase
CNS, central nervous system
CPEB, Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein
CREB, cAMP response element-binding protein
GABA, γ-aminobutyric acid
IP
3
, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate
IRS p58/53, Insulin-receptor tyrosine kinase 58/53 kDa substrate
LTD, long-term depression
LTP, long-term potentiation
MAP, microtubule-associated protein
mGluR, metabotropic glutamate receptor
NFT, neurofibrillary tangle
NGF, nerve growth factor
NMDA, N-methyl-D-aspartate
nNOS, neuronal nitric oxide synthase
NT(s), neurotrophin(s)
PD, Parkinson's disease
PDZ, PSD-95/Disc-large/ZO-1
PHF, paired helical filament
PKA , Protein kinase A
PKC, protein kinase C
PP1, protein phosphatase 1
PSD, Post-synaptic density
SAP, synapse-associated protein
SynGAP, synaptic GTPase activating protein
TH, tyrosine hydroxylase
TPH, tryptophan hydroxylase
TNF, tumor necrosis factor
UTR, untranslated region
I
NTRODUCTION
In the central nervous system (CNS), the synapse is a specialized junctional complex by
which axons and dendrites emerging from different neurons intercommunicate. Synaptic
plasticity has a central role in learning and memory, and is defined as an activity-dependent
change in synaptic transmission. Transient modifications of synapses have been associated
