miRNA in Neuronal Networks Maturation and Plasticity

The adult brain is the product of the interaction between a genetic program and experience-dependent remodeling. Indeed, neurons establish their cellular identity and connections in response to intrinsic signaling and external stimuli. In this delicate interplay, the regulation of gene expression is an essential point and miRNAs are biological "chisels" used to elegantly sculpt the molecular composition of the cell. In general, a single miRNA can control, at the same time, multiple mRNA degradation and local translation in specific cellular compartments. The posttranscriptional regulation performed by miRNAs has been shown to have dramatic implications in different neuronal processes spanning from neurite outgrowth, dendritogenesis, and spine formation to synaptic plasticity. In this chapter, we will summarize the current literature in this field, trying to hand out a constructive insight into miRNA roles in brain maturation and plasticity.