With the rapid development of sequencing technology, scientists have been able to study and acquire a better understanding of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a unique class of ncRNAs with a special loop structure, have been found to possess modulatory properties with respect to various biological processes, such as interacting with nucleic acids or proteins. In addition to their tissue-specific expression and high conservation across species, circRNAs are abundant and dynamically expressed in the nervous system, especially in nerve synapse, indicating their potential regulation in synaptic plasticity or neuronal disorders. In this review, we discuss the characteristics of circRNAs and their common biological functions, as well as their significant role in neurodevelopment, drug addiction and neurodegenerative diseases, aiming to guide further disease diagnoses and efficient therapy.

随着测序技术的飞速发展，科学家们已经能够研究和更好地了解非编码RNA（ncRNA）。环状 RNA (circRNA) 是一类独特的具有特殊环结构的 ncRNA，已被发现对各种生物过程具有调节特性，例如与核酸或蛋白质的相互作用。除了它们的组织特异性表达和跨物种的高度保守性外，circRNA 在神经系统中丰富且动态表达，尤其是在神经突触中，表明它们在突触可塑性或神经元疾病中的潜在调节作用。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了 circRNA 的特征及其共同的生物学功能，以及它们在神经发育、药物成瘾和神经退行性疾病中的重要作用，