Stanford University Feb 2 2026 As we age, we begin to lose the connections that wire up our brains-and neuroscientists aren't sure why.  It is increasingly clear, though, that the loss of synapses-the flexible and adaptive relay stations central to our brains' ability to think, learn, and remember-is central to the rise of cognitive decline and dementia in old age. Now, researchers supported by the Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience have discovered clues that may tie synapse loss to another