title: Caspases in synaptic plasticity.
abstract: Caspases are a family of cysteine proteases that play key roles in programmed cell death (apoptosis). Mounting evidence in recent years shows that caspases also have important non-apoptotic functions in multiple cellular processes, such as synaptic plasticity, dendritic development, learning and memory. In this article, we review the studies on the non-apoptotic functions of caspases in neurons, with a focus on their roles in synaptic plasticity, learning and memory and neurodegeneration.
authors.affiliation: Unit on Synapse Development and Plasticity, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. lizheng2@mail.nih.gov
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Morgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D020169:Caspases