Extensive Turnover of Dendritic Spines and Vascular Remodeling in Cortical Tissues Recovering from Stroke

Top Cited Papers
Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Recovery of function after stroke is thought to be dependent on the reorganization of adjacent, surviving areas of the brain. Macroscopic imaging studies (functional magnetic resonance imaging, optical imaging) have shown that peri-infarct regions adopt new functional roles to compensate for damage caused by stroke. To better understand the process by which these regions reorganize, we used in vivo two-photon imaging to examine changes in dendritic and vascular structure in cortical regions recovering from stroke. In adult control mice, dendritic arbors were relatively stable with very low levels of spine turnover (1.5 mm). These data provide a structural framework for understanding functional and behavioral changes that accompany brain injury and suggest new targets that could be exploited by future therapies to rebuild and rewire neuronal circuits lost to stroke.