LPS treatment or S. aureus infection reduces GJC in astrocytes for up to 16 h post-infection (Karpuk et al., 2011), followed by reduction in Cx43 expression after 24 h (Esen et al., 2007) indicating that these inflammatory factors have profound effects upon synaptic plasticity and subsequent congnitive functioning. The gene discussed is GJA1; the disease is infection.