Activate Activate Activate
contact  
Hello. Sign in to personalize your visit. New user? Register now.  

In
By author

Monthly
288 pp. per issue, 6 x 9,
illustrated
Founded: 1989
ISSN 0899-7667
E-ISSN 1530-888X
2008 ISI Impact Factor: 2.378

Neural Computation

January 2005, Vol. 17, No. 1, Pages 75-96
Posted Online March 13, 2006.
(doi:10.1162/0899766052530811)
© 2004 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
A Probabilistic Framework for Region-Specific Remodeling of Dendrites in Three-Dimensional Neuronal Reconstructions

Rishikesh Narayanan

National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore 560065, India,

Anusha Narayan

National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore 560065, India,

Sumantra Chattarji

National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore 560065, India,

PDF (278.62 KB) PDF Plus (295.39 KB)

Dendritic arborization is an important determinant of single-neuron function as well as the circuitry among neurons. Dendritic trees undergo remodeling during development, aging, and many pathological conditions, with many of the morphological changes being confined to certain regions of the dendritic tree. In order to analyze the functional consequences of such region-specific dendritic remodeling, it is essential to develop techniques that can systematically manipulate three-dimensional reconstructions of neurons. Hence, in this study, we develop an algorithm that uses statistics from precise morphometric analyses to systematically remodel neuronal reconstructions. We use the distribution function of the ratio of two normal distributed random variables to specify the probabilities of remodeling along various regions of the dendritic arborization. We then use these probabilities to drive an iterative algorithm for manipulating the dendritic tree in a region-specific manner. As a test, we apply this framework to a well-characterized example of dendritic remodeling: stress-induced dendritic atrophy in hippocampal CA3 pyramidal cells. We show that our pruning algorithm is capable of eliciting atrophy that matches biological data from rodent models of chronic stress.

Technology Partner - Atypon Systems, Inc.
  CrossRef member COUNTER member