BNIP3L and neurodegenerative disease: In agreement with neuroprotective role of Nix/BNIP3L, decreased Nix/BNIP3L mediated mitophagy was found to be detrimental for synaptic density and memory function in hippocampal neurons and in mice exposed to stress-related glucocorticoids, which are major etiological factors in the development of neurodegenerative diseases [166].