Host: The Physiological Society of Japan
Long-term potentiation (LTP) at glutamatergic synapses is considered to underlie learning and memory, and is associated with enlargement of dendritic spines. Since consolidation of memory and LTP requires protein synthesis, it is important to clarify how protein synthesis affects spine enlargement. We here report that repetitive pairing of postsynaptic spikes and two-photon uncaging of glutamate at single spines (spike-timing protocol) displayed both immediate and gradual phases of spine enlargement in CA1 pyramidal neurons. The gradual enlargement was strongly dependent on protein-synthesis and BDNF action, often associated with spine twitching, and was induced specifically at the spines which were immediately enlarged by the synaptic stimulation. Thus, spike-timing protocol is an efficient trigger for BDNF secretion, and induces protein-synthesis dependent long-term enlargement at the level of single spines. [J Physiol Sci. 2008;58 Suppl:S6]
