Synapse assembly and neurodevelopmental disorders

Abstract

In this review we examine the current understanding of how genetic deficits associated with neurodevelopmental disorders may impact synapse assembly. We then go on to discuss how the critical periods for these genetic deficits will shape the nature of future clinical interventions.

Figure 1

The three basic steps of synapse assembly. (1) First neuronal contact triggers a cascade of events through cell adhesion molecules such as Nlgns, Nrxns, and SynCAMs. Pre- and postsynaptic precursors need to be efficiently transported in axons and dendrites (2), by associating with motor proteins, such as Kinesin17, that ‘walk’ along microtubules. Neuronal contact must result in stopping, perhaps by means of kinases such as Cdk5, and maintenance of the synaptic material at the nascent synaptic site because of scaffolding molecules, such as SHANKs and CASK (3). This process eventually leads to the formation of a functional synaptic contact (4).