Translational control of long-lasting synaptic plasticity and memory

Costa-Mattioli M, Sossin WS, Klann E, Sonenberg N · 2009 · Neuron · Atlas ID COS2009

What this study shows

This review gathers evidence that long-lasting synaptic plasticity and long-term memory depend on new protein synthesis, and that the step where mRNA translation starts is a main control point. It covers two arms: the mTORC1 arm (4E-BP2, eIF4E, S6K) that controls cap-dependent translation, and the eIF2alpha arm (GCN2, PKR, ATF4) that controls general translation and specific mRNAs. It also discusses how faulty translational control is linked to disorders such as fragile X syndrome and tuberous sclerosis. It is a summary of work by many labs and gives the field a shared framework rather than new data. Boundary: narrative review; the cited evidence is mainly from rodent slices, rodent behaviour and invertebrate models, not from people.

Abstract

ShowHide

Long-lasting forms of synaptic plasticity and memory are dependent on new protein synthesis. Recent advances obtained from genetic, physiological, pharmacological, and biochemical studies provide strong evidence that translational control plays a key role in regulating long-term changes in neural circuits and thus long-term modifications in behavior. Translational control is important for regulating both general protein synthesis and synthesis of specific proteins in response to neuronal activity.

Read the full abstract on PubMed →

At a glance

Evidence type	R Review — secondary literature, not a new result Marked R because it is a review or synthesis of existing evidence rather than a new primary result; that is a different form of writing, not a weaker one.
Study type	Narrative Review
Model system	Narrative review (no new data): genetic, physiological, pharmacological and biochemical studies in rodents, Aplysia and Drosophila
Journal	Neuron
Year	2009
Peer reviewed	Yes
Record last updated	2026-10-01
Source	DOI 10.1016/j.neuron.2008.10.055 · PMID 19146809 · Free full text (PMC5154738)

Extracted findings

These fields were extracted from the paper with AI assistance and have not been checked against the source. Read them as a pointer into the paper, not as curated claims; where they disagree with the curated summary above, the curated summary stands.

Intervention	None (review)
Target	Translational control (mTORC1/4E-BP/eIF4E and eIF2alpha pathways) in neurons
Model	Multiple (review)
Effect	Review: translational control regulates long-lasting synaptic plasticity and memory

In the Atlas

Cite this paper

ShowHide

Costa-Mattioli, M., Sossin, W. S., Klann, E., & Sonenberg, N. (2009). Translational control of long-lasting synaptic plasticity and memory. Neuron. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2008.10.055

@article{COS2009,
  author       = {Costa-Mattioli, M. and Sossin, W. S. and Klann, E. and Sonenberg, N.},
  title        = {{Translational control of long-lasting synaptic plasticity and memory}},
  journal      = {Neuron},
  year         = {2009},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.neuron.2008.10.055},
  note         = {PMID: 19146809},
}

Cite this Atlas record

The record is the Atlas's own work — the evidence label, the extracted findings and the links. It is cited as part of the dataset, not as the paper.

Barton, O. (2026). Oliver's mTOR Atlas (record COS2009) [Data set]. https://mtor-atlas.org/study/COS2009/ · Dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22059963

@misc{atlas_COS2009,
  author       = {Barton, Oliver},
  title        = {{Oliver's mTOR Atlas}, record COS2009},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://mtor-atlas.org/study/COS2009/},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22059963}
}

Was this page useful?