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Brief Communication

Nature Neuroscience 10, 549–551 (1 May 2007) | doi:10.1038/nn1883

Choice of cranial window type for in vivo imaging affects dendritic spine turnover in the cortex

Hua-Tai Xu , Feng Pan , Guang Yang & Wen-Biao Gan

Determining the degree of synapse formation and elimination is essential for understanding the structural basis of brain plasticity and pathology. We show that in vivo imaging of dendritic spine dynamics through an open-skull glass window, but not a thinned-skull window, is associated with high spine turnover and substantial glial activation during the first month after surgery.