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Long-term dendritic spine stability in the adult cortex

Author

Listed:
  • Jaime Grutzendler

    (New York University School of Medicine)

  • Narayanan Kasthuri

    (New York University School of Medicine)

  • Wen-Biao Gan

    (New York University School of Medicine)

Abstract

The structural dynamics of synapses probably has a crucial role in the development and plasticity of the nervous system. In the mammalian brain, the vast majority of excitatory axo-dendritic synapses occur on dendritic specializations called ‘spines’. However, little is known about their long-term changes in the intact developing or adult animal. To address this question we developed a transcranial two-photon imaging technique to follow identified spines of layer-5 pyramidal neurons in the primary visual cortex of living transgenic mice expressing yellow fluorescent protein. Here we show that filopodia-like dendritic protrusions, extending and retracting over hours, are abundant in young animals but virtually absent from the adult. In young mice, within the ‘critical period’ for visual cortex development, ∼73% of spines remain stable over a one-month interval; most changes are associated with spine elimination. In contrast, in adult mice, the overwhelming majority of spines (∼96%) remain stable over the same interval with a half-life greater than 13 months. These results indicate that spines, initially plastic during development, become remarkably stable in the adult, providing a potential structural basis for long-term information storage.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaime Grutzendler & Narayanan Kasthuri & Wen-Biao Gan, 2002. "Long-term dendritic spine stability in the adult cortex," Nature, Nature, vol. 420(6917), pages 812-816, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:420:y:2002:i:6917:d:10.1038_nature01276
    DOI: 10.1038/nature01276
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Alfredo Rodriguez & Douglas B Ehlenberger & Dara L Dickstein & Patrick R Hof & Susan L Wearne, 2008. "Automated Three-Dimensional Detection and Shape Classification of Dendritic Spines from Fluorescence Microscopy Images," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 3(4), pages 1-12, April.
    2. Wanjie Wu & Sicong He & Junqiang Wu & Congping Chen & Xuesong Li & Kai Liu & Jianan Y. Qu, 2022. "Long-term in vivo imaging of mouse spinal cord through an optically cleared intervertebral window," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-17, December.
    3. Yang Li & Xuewei Chao, 2020. "ANN-Based Continual Classification in Agriculture," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-15, May.
    4. Michael Fauth & Florentin Wörgötter & Christian Tetzlaff, 2015. "The Formation of Multi-synaptic Connections by the Interaction of Synaptic and Structural Plasticity and Their Functional Consequences," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(1), pages 1-29, January.
    5. Joel Bauer & Uwe Lewin & Elizabeth Herbert & Julijana Gjorgjieva & Carl E. Schoonover & Andrew J. P. Fink & Tobias Rose & Tobias Bonhoeffer & Mark Hübener, 2024. "Sensory experience steers representational drift in mouse visual cortex," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    6. P. Dylan Rich & Stephan Yves Thiberge & Benjamin B. Scott & Caiying Guo & D. Gowanlock R. Tervo & Carlos D. Brody & Alla Y. Karpova & Nathaniel D. Daw & David W. Tank, 2024. "Magnetic voluntary head-fixation in transgenic rats enables lifespan imaging of hippocampal neurons," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.

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