Impaired axon regeneration and heightened synaptic dynamics in the injured aged mammalian cortex

boutons (EPBs)-the most common cortical synapse-showed transient increases in number and size. To assess functional consequences, we used a recurrent neural network model to simulate memory dynamics, revealing distinct changes compared to young adults. Our results suggest that increased synaptic turnover in the aged brain may facilitate partial recovery from injury through synaptic re-wiring, highlighting potential mechanisms supporting neural adaptation in aging.