A new look at brain connections

The functioning of the brain relies on the establishment of very precise connections between neurons : synapses. A recent study, published in Nature Neuroscience by a team from the Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en biologie du Collège de France led by Fekrije Selimi, reveals that the formation of different types of synapses requires several successive stages of molecular diversification during mammalian brain development. This discovery challenges a theoretical model established over sixty years ago, and opens up new perspectives for understanding neurodevelopmental disorders linked to synaptic deficits.