The Ever-Changing Morphology of Hippocampal Granule Neurons in Physiology and Pathology

• Published in: Frontiers in neuroscience Vol. 9; p. 526
• Main Authors: Llorens-Martin, Maria, Rabano, Alberto, Avila, Jesus
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Research Foundation 19-01-2016; Frontiers Media S.A
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease; Amyloid precursor protein; Cognitive ability; Cyclin-dependent kinase 5; Cyclin-dependent kinases; Dentate gyrus; Drug abuse; Enrichment; Environmental effects; Glucocorticoids; Glycogen; Glycogen synthase kinase 3; Golgi; Granule cells; Hippocampus; Inflammation; Kinases; Mental disorders; Morphology; Neurogenesis; Neurological diseases; Neurons; Neuroprotection; Neuroscience; Neurosciences; Pathology; Physiology; Presenilin 1; Proteins; Retrovirus; Schizophrenia; Seizures; Spain; newborn granule neuron; retrovirus; hippocampus; morphology; neuroprotection; neurodegeneration; neurogenesis; golgi
• ISSN: 1662-4548; 1662-453X; 1662-453X
• DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00526

Newborn neurons are continuously added to the hippocampal dentate gyrus throughout adulthood. In this review, we analyze the maturational stages that newborn granule neurons go through, with a focus on their unique morphological features during each stage under both physiological and pathological circumstances. In addition, the influence of deleterious (such as schizophrenia, stress, Alzheimer's disease, seizures, stroke, inflammation, dietary deficiencies, or the consumption of drugs of abuse or toxic substances) and neuroprotective (physical exercise and environmental enrichment) stimuli on the maturation of these cells will be examined. Finally, the regulation of this process by proteins involved in neurodegenerative and neurological disorders such as Glycogen synthase kinase 3β, Disrupted in Schizophrenia 1 (DISC-1), Glucocorticoid receptor, pro-inflammatory mediators, Presenilin-1, Amyloid precursor protein, Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5), among others, will be evaluated. Given the recently acquired relevance of the dendritic branch as a functional synaptic unit required for memory storage, a full understanding of the morphological alterations observed in newborn neurons may have important consequences for the prevention and treatment of the cognitive and affective alterations that evolve in conjunction with impaired adult hippocampal neurogenesis.