Synaptic potentiation requires PARP1 activation: prevailing concepts are revisited.

The therapeutic potential of PARP inhibitors in neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system is widely accepted. This prevailing concept is challenged by more recent findings, unveiling the role of PARP1 activity in synaptic long-term potentiation, synaptic plasticity and long-term memory. So, PARP1 inhibition, though intended to prevent memory deterioration, actually interferes with stimulation-induced synaptic plasticity and long-term memory. On the other hand, PARP inhibitors could be useful for preventing mental disorders associated with memory retrieval.