A window on the ag eing brain:in vivo imaging of structural changes at synaptic resolution

• Autorzy: de Paolo V.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Synaptic dysfunction is a prevalent and early hallmark of a vast array of neurocognitive and age-related diseases. Ageing is a major risk factor for cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and is characterised by performance decline in specific sensory and cognitive tasks. Age-dependent learning deficits are thought to arise from a progressive loss of synapses and detriments to synaptic plasticity, but in vivo evidence for this has been lacking. We have imaged different types of excitatory axons and their boutons in the somatosensory cortex of aged (>22 months) mice with impaired long-term recognition memory. Interestingly, the aged cortex shows circuit-specific increased rates of axonal bouton addition, elimination and destabilization. Compared to the young adult brain, large (i.e. strong) boutons in the aged cortex show 10-fold higher rates of destabilization and 20-fold higher turnover. Size fluctuations of persistent boutons, believed to encode long-term memories are more pronounced, while bouton size and density are not affected. Our study suggests that increased synaptic plasticity in specific cortical circuits represents a novel mechanism for age-related cognitive decline (Grillo et al. 2013, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110: 1514).

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis
• Rocznik: 2015
• Tom: 75
• Numer: Supl.
• Opis fizyczny: p.S23-S24

Twórcy

autor

de Paolo V.

• MRC Clinical Science Centre, Imperial College London, London, U.K.