Strength of Excitatory Inputs to Layer 3 Pyramidal Neurons During Synaptic Pruning in the Monkey Prefrontal Cortex: Relevance for the Pathogenesis of Schizophrenia. 2023

Guillermo Gonzalez-Burgos, and Takeaki Miyamae, and Yosuke Nishihata, and Olga L Krimer, and David A Lewis
Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Electronic address: gburgos@pitt.edu.

In schizophrenia, layer 3 pyramidal neurons (L3PNs) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex exhibit deficits in markers of excitatory synaptic inputs that are thought to disrupt the patterns of neural network activity essential for cognitive function. These deficits are usually interpreted under Irwin Feinberg's hypothesis of altered synaptic pruning, which postulates that normal periadolescent pruning, thought to preferentially eliminate weak/immature synapses, is altered in schizophrenia. However, it remains unknown whether periadolescent pruning on L3PNs in the primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex selectively eliminates weak excitatory synapses or uniformly eliminates excitatory synapses across the full distribution of synaptic strengths. To distinguish between these alternative models of synaptic pruning, we assessed the densities of dendritic spines, the site of most excitatory inputs to L3PNs, and the distributions of excitatory synaptic strengths in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex L3PNs from male and female monkeys across the periadolescent period of synaptic pruning. We used patch-clamp methods in acute brain slices to record miniature excitatory synaptic currents and intracellular filling with biocytin to quantify dendritic spines. On L3PNs, dendritic spines exhibited the expected age-related decline in density, but mean synaptic strength and the shape of synaptic strength distributions remained stable with age. The absence of age-related differences in mean synaptic strength and synaptic strength distributions supports the model of a uniform pattern of synaptic pruning across the full range of synaptic strengths. The implications of these findings for the pathogenesis and functional consequences of dendritic spine deficits in schizophrenia are discussed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
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
D005260 Female Females
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
D000882 Haplorhini A suborder of PRIMATES consisting of six families: CEBIDAE (some New World monkeys), ATELIDAE (some New World monkeys), CERCOPITHECIDAE (Old World monkeys), HYLOBATIDAE (gibbons and siamangs), CALLITRICHINAE (marmosets and tamarins), and HOMINIDAE (humans and great apes). Anthropoidea,Monkeys,Anthropoids,Monkey
D012559 Schizophrenia A severe emotional disorder of psychotic depth characteristically marked by a retreat from reality with delusion formation, HALLUCINATIONS, emotional disharmony, and regressive behavior. Dementia Praecox,Schizophrenic Disorders,Disorder, Schizophrenic,Disorders, Schizophrenic,Schizophrenias,Schizophrenic Disorder
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
D017397 Prefrontal Cortex The rostral part of the frontal lobe, bounded by the inferior precentral fissure in humans, which receives projection fibers from the MEDIODORSAL NUCLEUS OF THE THALAMUS. The prefrontal cortex receives afferent fibers from numerous structures of the DIENCEPHALON; MESENCEPHALON; and LIMBIC SYSTEM as well as cortical afferents of visual, auditory, and somatic origin. Anterior Prefrontal Cortex,Brodmann Area 10,Brodmann Area 11,Brodmann Area 12,Brodmann Area 47,Brodmann's Area 10,Brodmann's Area 11,Brodmann's Area 12,Brodmann's Area 47,Pars Orbitalis,Frontal Sulcus,Gyrus Frontalis Inferior,Gyrus Frontalis Superior,Gyrus Orbitalis,Gyrus Rectus,Inferior Frontal Gyrus,Lateral Orbitofrontal Cortex,Marginal Gyrus,Medial Frontal Gyrus,Olfactory Sulci,Orbital Area,Orbital Cortex,Orbital Gyri,Orbitofrontal Cortex,Orbitofrontal Gyri,Orbitofrontal Gyrus,Orbitofrontal Region,Rectal Gyrus,Rectus Gyrus,Straight Gyrus,Subcallosal Area,Superior Frontal Convolution,Superior Frontal Gyrus,Ventral Medial Prefrontal Cortex,Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex,Anterior Prefrontal Cortices,Area 10, Brodmann,Area 10, Brodmann's,Area 11, Brodmann,Area 11, Brodmann's,Area 12, Brodmann,Area 12, Brodmann's,Area 47, Brodmann,Area 47, Brodmann's,Area, Orbital,Area, Subcallosal,Brodmanns Area 10,Brodmanns Area 11,Brodmanns Area 12,Brodmanns Area 47,Convolution, Superior Frontal,Convolutions, Superior Frontal,Cortex, Anterior Prefrontal,Cortex, Lateral Orbitofrontal,Cortex, Orbital,Cortex, Orbitofrontal,Cortex, Prefrontal,Cortex, Ventromedial Prefrontal,Cortices, Ventromedial Prefrontal,Frontal Convolution, Superior,Frontal Gyrus, Inferior,Frontal Gyrus, Medial,Frontal Gyrus, Superior,Frontalis Superior, Gyrus,Gyrus, Inferior Frontal,Gyrus, Marginal,Gyrus, Medial Frontal,Gyrus, Orbital,Gyrus, Orbitofrontal,Gyrus, Rectal,Gyrus, Rectus,Gyrus, Straight,Gyrus, Superior Frontal,Inferior, Gyrus Frontalis,Lateral Orbitofrontal Cortices,Olfactory Sulcus,Orbital Areas,Orbital Cortices,Orbital Gyrus,Orbitalis, Pars,Orbitofrontal Cortex, Lateral,Orbitofrontal Cortices,Orbitofrontal Cortices, Lateral,Orbitofrontal Regions,Prefrontal Cortex, Anterior,Prefrontal Cortex, Ventromedial,Prefrontal Cortices, Anterior,Region, Orbitofrontal,Subcallosal Areas,Sulcus, Frontal,Superior Frontal Convolutions,Superior, Gyrus Frontalis,Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortices
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
D017966 Pyramidal Cells Projection neurons in the CEREBRAL CORTEX and the HIPPOCAMPUS. Pyramidal cells have a pyramid-shaped soma with the apex and an apical dendrite pointed toward the pial surface and other dendrites and an axon emerging from the base. The axons may have local collaterals but also project outside their cortical region. Pyramidal Neurons,Cell, Pyramidal,Cells, Pyramidal,Neuron, Pyramidal,Neurons, Pyramidal,Pyramidal Cell,Pyramidal Neuron

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