title: The evolving role of dendritic spines and memory: Interaction(s) with estradiol.
abstract: This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and Cognition". Memory processing is presumed to depend on synaptic plasticity, which appears to have a role in mediating the acquisition, consolidation, and retention of memory. We have studied the relationship between estrogen, recognition memory, and dendritic spine density in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex, areas critical for memory, across the lifespan in female rodents. The present paper reviews the literature on dendritic spine plasticity in mediating both short and long term memory, as well as the decreased memory that occurs with aging and Alzheimer's disease. It also addresses the role of acute and chronic estrogen treatments in these processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Science Education, Hofstra-North Shore LIJ School of Medicine, USA. Electronic address: maya.frankfurt@hofstra.edu.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frankfurt
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Hunter College of CUNY, USA.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Luine
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004958:Estradiol
keywords: Dendritic spines; Estradiol; Estrogen; Hippocampus; Memory; Prefrontal cortex; Synaptic plasticity