Ultrastructural evidence for synaptic scaling across the wake/sleep cycle

• DOI: 10.1126/science.aah5982
• Publication Date: 2017-02-02T19:15:18Z
• Authors: Luisa de Vivo; Michele Bellesi; William Marshall; Eric A. Bushong; Mark H. Ellisman; Giulio Tononi; Chiara Cirelli
• Keywords: Sleep

Synapse remodeling during sleep General activity and information processing while an animal is awake drive synapse strengthening. This counterbalanced by weakening of synapses (see the Perspective Acsády). De Vivo et al. used serial scanning electron microscopy to reconstruct axon-spine interface spine head volume in mouse brain. They observed a substantial decrease size after sleep. The largest relative changes occurred among weak synapses, whereas strong ones remained stable. Diering found that undergo synaptic glutamate receptors sleep-wake cycle, driven immediate early gene Homer1a. In animals, Homer1a accumulates neurons but excluded from high levels noradrenaline. At onset sleep, noradrenaline decline, allowing move excitatory weakening. Science , this issue p. 457 507 ; see also 511