Dendritic spine alterations in the hippocampus and parietal cortex of alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor knockout mice

• Published in: Neuroscience Vol. 233; pp. 54 - 63
• Main Authors: Morley, B.J, Mervis, R.F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 13-03-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; alpha7 nicotinic receptor; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; CA1 region; Central nervous system; Central neurotransmission. Neuromudulation. Pathways and receptors; cognition; dendrite; Dendritic Spines - classification; Dendritic Spines - genetics; Dendritic Spines - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; hippocampus; Hippocampus - cytology; Hippocampus - metabolism; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Neurology; parietal cortex; Parietal Lobe - cytology; Parietal Lobe - metabolism; Receptors, Nicotinic - genetics; Receptors, Nicotinic - metabolism; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; CA1 region; AD; MLA; Alzheimer’s disease; hippocampus; cognition; dendrite; parietal cortex; Boys Town National Research Hospital; methyllycaconitine; nAChR; SEM; BTNRH; standard error of the mean; alpha7 nicotinic receptor; nicotinic acetylcholine receptor; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Cognition; Encephalon; Dendrite; Vertebrata; Cholinergic receptor; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Parietal cortex; α7 nicotinic receptor; Dendritic spine; Mutation; Hippocampus
• ISSN: 0306-4522; 1873-7544
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.12.025

Highlights ► We observed an increase of thin spines in the CA1 basal dendrites of alpha7 nAChR knockout mice. ► We observed small decreases in N-type, M-type, and D-type spines in the knockout mice. ► We observed decreased branching in the proximal region of the CA1 basal dendrites. ► Changes in spine configuration were not observed in the CA1 apical dendrites.