Stably maintained dendritic spines are associated with lifelong memories. 2009

Guang Yang, and Feng Pan, and Wen-Biao Gan
Molecular Neurobiology Program, The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA.

Changes in synaptic connections are considered essential for learning and memory formation. However, it is unknown how neural circuits undergo continuous synaptic changes during learning while maintaining lifelong memories. Here we show, by following postsynaptic dendritic spines over time in the mouse cortex, that learning and novel sensory experience lead to spine formation and elimination by a protracted process. The extent of spine remodelling correlates with behavioural improvement after learning, suggesting a crucial role of synaptic structural plasticity in memory formation. Importantly, a small fraction of new spines induced by novel experience, together with most spines formed early during development and surviving experience-dependent elimination, are preserved and provide a structural basis for memory retention throughout the entire life of an animal. These studies indicate that learning and daily sensory experience leave minute but permanent marks on cortical connections and suggest that lifelong memories are stored in largely stably connected synaptic networks.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008568 Memory Complex mental function having four distinct phases: (1) memorizing or learning, (2) retention, (3) recall, and (4) recognition. Clinically, it is usually subdivided into immediate, recent, and remote memory.
D009044 Motor Cortex Area of the FRONTAL LOBE concerned with primary motor control located in the dorsal PRECENTRAL GYRUS immediately anterior to the central sulcus. It is comprised of three areas: the primary motor cortex located on the anterior paracentral lobule on the medial surface of the brain; the premotor cortex located anterior to the primary motor cortex; and the supplementary motor area located on the midline surface of the hemisphere anterior to the primary motor cortex. Brodmann Area 4,Brodmann Area 6,Brodmann's Area 4,Brodmann's Area 6,Premotor Cortex and Supplementary Motor Cortex,Premotor and Supplementary Motor Cortices,Anterior Central Gyrus,Gyrus Precentralis,Motor Area,Motor Strip,Precentral Gyrus,Precentral Motor Area,Precentral Motor Cortex,Premotor Area,Premotor Cortex,Primary Motor Area,Primary Motor Cortex,Secondary Motor Areas,Secondary Motor Cortex,Somatic Motor Areas,Somatomotor Areas,Supplementary Motor Area,Area 4, Brodmann,Area 4, Brodmann's,Area 6, Brodmann,Area 6, Brodmann's,Area, Motor,Area, Precentral Motor,Area, Premotor,Area, Primary Motor,Area, Secondary Motor,Area, Somatic Motor,Area, Somatomotor,Area, Supplementary Motor,Brodmann's Area 6s,Brodmanns Area 4,Brodmanns Area 6,Central Gyrus, Anterior,Cortex, Motor,Cortex, Precentral Motor,Cortex, Premotor,Cortex, Primary Motor,Cortex, Secondary Motor,Cortices, Secondary Motor,Gyrus, Anterior Central,Gyrus, Precentral,Motor Area, Precentral,Motor Area, Primary,Motor Area, Secondary,Motor Area, Somatic,Motor Areas,Motor Cortex, Precentral,Motor Cortex, Primary,Motor Cortex, Secondary,Motor Strips,Precentral Motor Areas,Precentral Motor Cortices,Premotor Areas,Primary Motor Areas,Primary Motor Cortices,Secondary Motor Area,Secondary Motor Cortices,Somatic Motor Area,Somatomotor Area,Supplementary Motor Areas
D009048 Motor Skills Performance of complex motor acts. Motor Skill,Skill, Motor,Skills, Motor
D009473 Neuronal Plasticity The capacity of the NERVOUS SYSTEM to change its reactivity as the result of successive activations. Brain Plasticity,Plasticity, Neuronal,Axon Pruning,Axonal Pruning,Dendrite Arborization,Dendrite Pruning,Dendritic Arborization,Dendritic Pruning,Dendritic Remodeling,Neural Plasticity,Neurite Pruning,Neuronal Arborization,Neuronal Network Remodeling,Neuronal Pruning,Neuronal Remodeling,Neuroplasticity,Synaptic Plasticity,Synaptic Pruning,Arborization, Dendrite,Arborization, Dendritic,Arborization, Neuronal,Arborizations, Dendrite,Arborizations, Dendritic,Arborizations, Neuronal,Axon Prunings,Axonal Prunings,Brain Plasticities,Dendrite Arborizations,Dendrite Prunings,Dendritic Arborizations,Dendritic Prunings,Dendritic Remodelings,Network Remodeling, Neuronal,Network Remodelings, Neuronal,Neural Plasticities,Neurite Prunings,Neuronal Arborizations,Neuronal Network Remodelings,Neuronal Plasticities,Neuronal Prunings,Neuronal Remodelings,Neuroplasticities,Plasticities, Brain,Plasticities, Neural,Plasticities, Neuronal,Plasticities, Synaptic,Plasticity, Brain,Plasticity, Neural,Plasticity, Synaptic,Pruning, Axon,Pruning, Axonal,Pruning, Dendrite,Pruning, Dendritic,Pruning, Neurite,Pruning, Neuronal,Pruning, Synaptic,Prunings, Axon,Prunings, Axonal,Prunings, Dendrite,Prunings, Dendritic,Prunings, Neurite,Prunings, Neuronal,Prunings, Synaptic,Remodeling, Dendritic,Remodeling, Neuronal,Remodeling, Neuronal Network,Remodelings, Dendritic,Remodelings, Neuronal,Remodelings, Neuronal Network,Synaptic Plasticities,Synaptic Prunings
D005552 Forelimb A front limb of a quadruped. (The Random House College Dictionary, 1980) Forelimbs
D000375 Aging The gradual irreversible changes in structure and function of an organism that occur as a result of the passage of time. Senescence,Aging, Biological,Biological Aging
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013569 Synapses Specialized junctions at which a neuron communicates with a target cell. At classical synapses, a neuron's presynaptic terminal releases a chemical transmitter stored in synaptic vesicles which diffuses across a narrow synaptic cleft and activates receptors on the postsynaptic membrane of the target cell. The target may be a dendrite, cell body, or axon of another neuron, or a specialized region of a muscle or secretory cell. Neurons may also communicate via direct electrical coupling with ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES. Several other non-synaptic chemical or electric signal transmitting processes occur via extracellular mediated interactions. Synapse
D013997 Time Factors Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations. Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D049229 Dendritic Spines Spiny processes on DENDRITES, each of which receives excitatory input from one nerve ending (NERVE ENDINGS). They are commonly found on PURKINJE CELLS and PYRAMIDAL CELLS. Dendritic Spine,Spine, Dendritic,Spines, Dendritic

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