The splice of life: Alternative splicing and neurological disease

Splicing of pre-messenger RNA is regulated differently in the brain compare d with other tissues. Recognition of aberrations in splicing events that ar e associated with neurological disease has contributed to our understanding of disease pathogenesis in some cases. Neuron-specific proteins involved i n RNA splicing and metabolism are also affected in several neurological dis orders. These findings have begun to bridge what we know about the mechanis ms regulating neuron-specific splicing and our understanding of neural func tion and disease.