The effects of viral infection and reactivation on the post-synaptic protein levels were assessed by studying the expression of GluA1 subunit of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (− 71%), NR2B subunit of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (− 64%) and PSD95 (− 64%, p = 1.0 × 10–3 and p = 6.0 × 10–4, p = 3.3 × 10–3, respectively, vs. mock-infected mice Fig. 2A, D–F). Here, GRIA1 is linked to viral infectious disease.