Given that retinoids have been proposed as a potential therapeutic avenue for Alzheimer’s disease-associated cognitive decline (Ding et al., 2008; Endres et al., 2014), it is conceivable that atRA may act – at least in part – by modulating synaptopodin expression, thereby improving the ability of adult human cortical neurons to express synaptic plasticity. The gene discussed is SYNPO; the disease is Alzheimer disease.