title: Activity-dependent dendritic release of BDNF and biological consequences.
abstract: Network construction and reorganization is modulated by the level and pattern of synaptic activity generated in the nervous system. During the past decades, neurotrophins, and in particular brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), have emerged as attractive candidates for linking synaptic activity and brain plasticity. Thus, neurotrophin expression and secretion are under the control of activity-dependent mechanisms and, besides their classical role in supporting neuronal survival neurotrophins, modulate nearly all key steps of network construction from neuronal migration to experience-dependent refinement of local connections. In this paper, we provide an overview of recent findings showing that BDNF can serve as a target-derived messenger for activity-dependent synaptic plasticity and development at the single cell level.
authors.affiliation: INMED (Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée), INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unité 901), Université de La Méditerranée, Parc scientifique de Luminy, Marseille Cedex 09, France. kuczewski@inmed.univ-mrs.fr
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kuczewski
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porcher
authors.forename: Volkmar
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lessmann
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Medina
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gaiarsa
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor