title: A role for the spine apparatus in LTP and spatial learning.
abstract: Long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic strength is a long-lasting form of synaptic plasticity that has been linked to information storage. Although the molecular and cellular events underlying LTP are not yet fully understood, it is generally accepted that changes in dendritic spine calcium levels as well as local protein synthesis play a central role. These two processes may be influenced by the presence of a spine apparatus, a distinct neuronal organelle found in a subpopulation of telencephalic spines. Mice lacking spine apparatuses (synaptopodin-deficient mice) show deficits in LTP and impaired spatial learning supporting the involvement of the spine apparatus in synaptic plasticity. In our review, we consider the possible roles of the spine apparatus in LTP1 (protein synthesis-independent), LTP2 (translation-dependent and transcription-independent) and LTP3 (translation- and transcription-dependent) and discuss the effects of the spine apparatus on learning and memory.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, J.W. Goethe-University of Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jedlicka
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vlachos
authors.forename: Stephan W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Schwarzacher
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015388:Organelles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008840:Microfilament Proteins; C503968:Synpo protein, mouse