Journal
NEUROSCIENCE
Volume 166, Issue 4, Pages 1129-1139Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2010.01.040
Keywords
dystrophin; muscular dystrophy; pyramidal neurons; dendritic spines; biotinylated dextran amine; cognitive impairment
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The dystrophin defective mdx mouse, acknowledged model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), bears outstanding alterations of the cortical architecture, that could be responsible for the cognitive impairment often accompanying this pathological condition. Using a retrograde tract tracing technique to label neurons in Golgi-like fashion, we investigated the fine anatomical organization of associative cortico-cortical projections in mdx mice. While the absolute number of associative pyramidal neurons was significantly higher in mdx than in control animals, the ratio between the number of supra- and infragranular cortico-cortical cells was substantially unmodified. Basal dendrites of layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons displayed longer terminal branches in mdx compared to controls. Finally, the density of dendritic spines was significantly lower in mdx animals. The anomalies of associative cortico-cortical projections provide potential groundwork on the neurobiological bases of cognitive involvement in DMD and value the role of cortical microcircuitry alterations as possible source of interference with peripheral motor impairment. (C) 2010 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available