"Teaching old dogs new tricks": targeting neural extracellular matrix for normal and pathological aging-related cognitive decline.

ABSTRACT: Cognitive decline is a feature of normal and pathological aging. As the proportion of the global aged population continues to grow, it is imperative to understand the molecular and cellular substrates of cognitive aging for therapeutic discovery. This review focuses on the critical role of neural extracellular matrix in the regulation of neuroplasticity underlying learning and memory in another under-investigated "critical period": the aging process. The fascinating ideas of neural extracellular matrix forming a synaptic cradle in the tetrapartite synapse and possibly serving as a substrate for storage of very long-term memories will be introduced. We emphasize the distinct functional roles of diffusive neural extracellular matrix and perineuronal nets and the advantage of the coexistence

SUBMITTER: Richard AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6352600 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature