Purpose of review The purpose of this brief review is to gain an understanding on
the multiple roles that lipids exert on the brain, and to highlight new ideas in the
impact of lipid homeostasis in the regulation of synaptic transmission. Recent findings
Recent data underline the crucial function of lipid homeostasis in maintaining neuronal
function and synaptic plasticity. Moreover, new advances in analytical approaches
to study lipid classes and species is opening a new door to understand and monitor
how alterations in lipid pathways could shed new light into the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration.
Lipids are one of the most essential elements of the brain. However, our understanding
of the role of lipids within the central nervous system is still largely unknown.
Identifying the molecular mechanism (s) by which lipids can regulate neuronal transmission
represents the next frontier in neuroscience, and a new challenge in our understanding
of the brain and the mechanism(s) behind neurological disorders.
