Topic: Spine turnover

Developmental myelination is a protracted process in the mammalian brain. One theory for why oligodendrocytes mature so slowly posits that myelination may stabilize neuronal circuits and temper neuronal plasticity as animals age. We tested this theory in the visual cortex, which has a well-defined critical period for experience-dependent neuronal plasticity. During adolescence, visual experience modulated oligodendrocyte maturation in visual cortex. To determine whether oligodendrocyte maturation in turn regulates neuronal plasticity, we genetically blocked oligodendrocyte differentiation and

In this world of unexpected change, animals face a critical trade-off between retaining older information and facilitating new learning. Dendritic spines, where excitatory synapses are located, represent the basic structural and functional unit of learning and memory at the neuronal level; spines are formed and/or modified during learning to support behavioral demands. However, how the interplay between plasticity and stability in dendritic spines is implemented to accommodate adaptations in behavior remains unclear. We investigated this question in head-fixed mice performing a rule-switch beh