It is often assumed that Hebbian synaptic plasticity forms a cell assembly, a mutually interacting group of neurons that encodes memory. However, in recurrently connected networks with pure Hebbian plasticity, cell assemblies typically diverge or fade under ongoing changes of synaptic strength. Previously assumed mechanisms that stabilize cell assemblies do not robustly reproduce the experimentally […]

The aging retinal pigment epithelium and oxidative stress, mediated by reactive oxygen species accumulation, have been implicated in the mechanisms of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The expression level of the adapter protein p66shc, a key protein that regulates cellular oxidative stress, is relatively low under normal conditions because of the effects of silent mating type […]