Finally, a reduction of Synaptophysin, a presynaptic protein that binds VAMP2 and plays a role in SNARE complex assembly and vesicle fusion, was observed to be present in FTD patients (Valtorta et al., 2004), suggesting a fundamental role of synaptic decline in dementia (Clare et al., 2010). The gene discussed is VAMP2; the disease is frontotemporal dementia.