Dynamic changes in the dendritic geometry of individual neurons visualized over periods of up to three months in the superior cervical ganglion of living mice

Abstract

We describe a means of visualizing the same neuron in the superior cervical ganglion of young adult mice over intervals of up to 3 months. The dendrites of these neurons change during this interval; some branches retract, others elongate, and still others appear to form de novo. Thus, neuronal dendrites in this part of the nervous system are subject to continual change beyond what is usually considered the developmental period. The remodeling of postsynaptic processes further implies that the synaptic connections made onto these cells undergo substantial rearrangement well into adulthood.