Voxel-based morphometry predicts shifts in dendritic spine density and morphology with auditory fear conditioning.

ABSTRACT: Neuroimaging has provided compelling data about the brain. Yet the underlying mechanisms of many neuroimaging techniques have not been elucidated. Here we report a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) study of Thy1-YFP mice following auditory fear conditioning complemented by confocal microscopy analysis of cortical thickness, neuronal morphometric features and nuclei size/density. Significant VBM results included the nuclei of the amygdala, the insula and the auditory cortex. There were no significant VBM changes in a control brain area. Focusing on the auditory cortex, confocal analysis showed that fear conditioning led to a significantly increased density of shorter and wider dendritic spines, while there were no spine differences in the control area. Of all the morphology metrics studied, the

SUBMITTER: Keifer OP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4506522 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature