Annette E. Rünker

This study shows that CENP-A, a centromere-specific histone variant, is dynamically regulated by synaptic activity in neurons and is required for activity-dependent gene expression and hippocampus-dependent learning and memory.

The paper reports that mice exhibit behavioral activity with ~14 and ~28 day periodicity, aligned with geomagnetic fluctuations from the Moon and Sun, independent of circadian rhythms.

The paper identifies high ROS levels in quiescent adult hippocampal stem cells and shows how physical activity triggers their activation through a Nox2-dependent ROS surge.