Exploring New Horizons: Synaptic Tagging and Capture Beyond Space and Time

Synaptic tagging and capture (STC) encapsulates how synapses attain persistence in their plasticity through capturing newly synthesized plasticity-related products (PRPs) via their tag. This theory also extends to how synapses exhibit associative properties by capturing PRPs whose synthesis is invoked by another set of synapses. Since its conceptualization, STC has been extensively studied mainly in the Schaffer collateral inputs onto the CA1 neurons within the hippocampus, with implications for the associativity of synaptic properties and in turn memory. Recently, emerging work has explored beyond the CA1 neurons, such as the neighboring CA2 and lateral amygdala. Exploring STC in different neuronal populations reveals different plasticity rules and provides more insight into refining the STC model. Meanwhile, expanding behavioral tagging, the behavioral correlate of STC, beyond initial encoding, also illuminates how STC remains relevant in the reactivation and reconsolidation of memories. This review will share these exciting advancements that examine STC beyond the CA1 space as well as the time of initial encoding.