Learning and sleep-dependent dendritic spine plasticity and maintenance - Wenbiao Gan

Stanford Neurosciences Institute Seminar Series Presents

Learning and sleep-dependent dendritic spine plasticity and maintenance

Wnbiao Gan, Ph.D

Professor  Molecular Neurobiology Program, Skirball Institute, Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, New York University School of Medicine

Host: Eddy Albarran (Ding Lab)

Abstract

Dendritic spines are the postsynaptic sites of most excitatory synapses in the mammalian brain. In vivo imaging of dendritic spines in the mouse cerebral cortex indicates that spines are highly plastic during development and become remarkably stable in adulthood. In my presentation, I will discuss how learning experiences regulate the development and plasticity of dendritic spines, as well as the role of sleep in dendritic spine plasticity and maintenance.  Because dendritic spines are the key elements for information acquisition and retention, understanding how they are formed and maintained in the living brain provides important insights into the structural basis of learning and memory.