Electrophysiological changes precede morphological changes to frontal cortical pyramidal neurons in the rTg4510 mouse model of progressive tauopathy.

ABSTRACT: Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings and high-resolution morphometry were used to assess functional and structural properties of layer 3 pyramidal neurons in early (<4 months) and advanced (>8 months) stages of tauopathy in frontal cortical slices prepared from rTg4510 tau mutant (P301L) mice. In early tauopathy, dendritic architecture is preserved. In advanced tauopathy, neurons can be categorized as either "atrophic" (58 %)-exhibiting marked atrophy of the apical tuft, or "intact" (42 %)-with normal apical tufts and, in some instances, proliferative sprouting of oblique branches of the apical trunk. Approximately equal numbers of atrophic and intact neurons contain neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) or are tangle-free, lending further support to the idea that NFTs per se are not toxic. Spine de

SUBMITTER: Crimins JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3509230 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature