RESEARCH

Synapses in the CNS are fundamental structures that regulate the information transfer in the brain and enable the brain's plasticity. By adapting their shape, size, and patterns of connectivity – known as structural plasticity, synapses modulate circuit function and the information storage in the brain. These structural changes are accompanied by modifications of the molecular composition and nano-organization of pre-synaptic and post-synaptic compartments. Plasticity decreases with aging, and defects in synaptic processing lead to learning and memory deficits linked to Alzheimer's disease.  Deciphering how the complex biology of synapses underlies normal brain function and how defects in these processes might cause neurological disorders is the long-term goal of our work. We use high resolution imaging, including the state-of-the-art Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) nanoscopy, in combination with molecular and biochemical approaches to investigate the development and plasticity of synapses in health and disease. We focus on answering the following fundamental questions: