Caspases in synaptic plasticity.

Caspases are a family of cysteine proteases that play key roles in programmed cell death (apoptosis). Mounting evidence in recent years shows that caspases also have important non-apoptotic functions in multiple cellular processes, such as synaptic plasticity, dendritic development, learning and memory. In this article, we review the studies on the non-apoptotic functions of caspases in neurons, with a focus on their roles in synaptic plasticity, learning and memory and neurodegeneration.