Perspectives on repair and protection against damage to neural circuits

The elucidation of molecular mechanisms guiding neural circuit formation, from the cloning of Trk receptors and netrin, to chemotactic cues shaping axon pathways, and the midline switch of commissural axons, defined a landmark era in developmental neurobiology.These findings outlined the molecular basis of precise circuit wiring in early development. Today, the challenge remains: can we achieve an integrated understanding of how neural circuits are formed, maintained, and repaired across the full human lifespan, from development through aging and into disease states?This Research Topic aims to connect developmental mechanisms with adult circuit stability and regenerative capacity.To address this, we seek contributions that investigate how various biological systems collectively influence circuit robustness and repair. These include glial-neuronal interactions, intracellular cytoskeletal and membrane dynamics, mitochondrial and metabolic control of neuronal health, and the epigenetic regulation of gene expression in injury contexts.By anchoring developmental insights into adult models of injury, neurodegeneration, and age-associated decline, this collection will help define the conditions and mechanisms that either enable or restrict circuit recovery.By bridging molecular, cellular, and systemic viewpoints, we aim to offer a high-resolution synthesis of how neural circuits are preserved or compromised across time and condition. The goal is to build a cumulative understanding that directly informs therapeutic strategies for restoring or protecting circuit function in clinical and translational contexts.To this aim, we welcome articles focusing on the following:• Neurotrophin signaling and lifespan circuit plasticityFocus on the temporal extension of neurotrophic signaling (e.g., Trk receptors) and its role in adult and aging brain circuit maintenance.• Axon guidance mechanisms in adult regenerationRevisit classical axon guidance molecules (e.g., netrins, semaphorins) in the context of adult CNS injury and regeneration.• Glia-circuit interactions in damage response and repairExamine the active role of astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes in both maladaptive and protective responses to circuit disruption.• Metabolic control of synaptic stability and plasticityInvestigate how local and systemic metabolic states affect synapse formation, maintenance, and vulnerability.• Epigenetic regulation of circuit resilience across the lifespanFocus on chromatin dynamics and non-coding RNA mechanisms that regulate the capacity of neurons to respond to damage or stress.• Cytoskeletal remodeling and membrane dynamics after injuryExplore how actin, microtubule systems, and membrane trafficking enable or constrain recovery of structural connectivity.• Neural circuit rewiring in models of neurodevelopmental disordersHow circuit miswiring occurs in autism, schizophrenia, and related disorders, and the potential for late-life correction.• Aging-associated decline in neural circuit repair mechanismsIdentify specific age-related losses in intrinsic or extrinsic repair programs, including changes in trophic factor signaling and inflammatory tone.• Bioelectrical and oscillatory homeostasis in circuit function and repairThe role of local field potentials and oscillatory synchrony in maintaining functional connectivity, and how these are disrupted and potentially restored.• Synthetic and bioengineered strategies for circuit reconstructionDevelopment of neural scaffolds, cell therapy, and precision molecular tools (e.g., optogenetics, chemogenetics) for rebuilding lost circuits. Topic editors: Sumiko Kiryu-Seo, Takeshi Nakamura Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/71833/perspectives-on-repair-and-protection-against-damage-to-neural-circuits