Experience-dependent dendritic arbor development

Abstract

The architecture of dendritic arbors determines afferent inputs and dendritic integration. Aberrant dendrite development is predicted to lead to aberrant information processing and circuit output. This chapter will review experience-dependent mechanisms regulating dendritic arbor development and plasticity, focusing on work done in vivo. Dendrite arbor development is strongly regulated by activity-dependent mechanisms, which in many cases can be traced to mechanisms originating in synaptic development or function. As proteomic analysis provides a more complete inventory of synaptic proteins and genomic analysis identifies candidate proteins associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, it is becoming clear that synaptic proteins which regulate synaptogenesis, synaptic function, and synapse stability also regulate dendritic arbor development and brain circuit function.