Indeed, restoring synapse levels through synaptogenic pathways involving the cold-shock proteins RBM3 and RTN3 reverses cognitive deficits and prevents neurodegeneration in mouse models of Alzheimer’s and prion disease (Bastide et al., 2017, Peretti et al., 2015) and is a powerful neuroprotective strategy. The gene discussed is RTN3; the disease is prion disease.