What is it about?
During early development, nerve cells are highly adaptable, but small changes at the wrong time can have lasting effects. We discovered that mitochondria, the cell’s energy producers, send signals that guide these changes, helping shape how nerves connect and how the animal behaves
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Why is it important?
Our work identifies the cellular signals that guide nerve cell development during a critical early window. Understanding how mitochondria and ROS shape neuronal connections is important because it explains how brief changes can have lasting effects on brain function, and may provide insights into neurodevelopmental disorders.
Perspectives
For me, this study was exciting because it uncovers how brief metabolic signals from mitochondria can have long-lasting effects on nerve cell development and behavior. It also raises the intriguing possibility that, by targeting these pathways, we might one day reopen critical periods, offering new ways to repair or reshape neural circuits later in life.
Daniel Sobrido-Cameán
Universidad de Sevilla
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Mitochondrial ROS and HIF-1α signaling mediate synaptic plasticity in the critical period, PLoS Biology, August 2025, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003338.
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