Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are abundant in the brain and are often expressed in complex spatiotemporal patterns that coincide with distinct developmental transitions. This suggests that circRNAs play a significant role in the central nervous system. This book chapter will review research progress into the function of circRNAs during neuronal development. The major themes to be discussed are the enrichment of circRNAs in the synapse and their possible contributions to synaptopathologies, in addition to the findings that neural circRNAs accumulate with age and appear beneficial for neuronal repair. Although more research is needed, some of the possible functions of circRNAs with in the brain are already beginning to come to light.
Keywords: Ageing; Alzheimer’s disease; Brain; Circular RNA; Ischemic stroke; Synapse.