This study examines synaptic changes in a mouse model of infantile Batten disease. Researchers isolated synapses from mouse brain regions and identified protein differences between healthy and diseased synapses. They found that synaptic breakdown begins earlier in certain brain regions, suggesting some synapses are more vulnerable than others. The team then used a fruit fly model of Batten disease to test whether modifying levels of candidate proteins identified in mouse synapses could slow disease progression, identifying potential therapeutic targets.