Abstract
Dendritic spines are small protrusions from neuronal dendrites that form the postsynaptic component of most excitatory synapses in the brain. They play critical roles in synaptic transmission and plasticity. Recent advances in imaging and molecular technologies reveal that spines are complex, dynamic structures that contain a dense array of cytoskeletal, transmembrane, and scaffolding molecules. Several neurological and psychiatric disorders exhibit dendritic spine abnormalities.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Cytoskeleton / physiology
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Cytoskeleton / ultrastructure
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Dendrites / physiology*
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Dendrites / ultrastructure
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Dendritic Spines / pathology
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Dendritic Spines / physiology*
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Dendritic Spines / ultrastructure
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Humans
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Nervous System Diseases / etiology
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Nervous System Diseases / pathology
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Nervous System Diseases / physiopathology
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Neuronal Plasticity
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Signal Transduction
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Synapses / physiology*
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Synapses / ultrastructure
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Synaptic Transmission
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rho GTP-Binding Proteins / physiology