To support neural circuit stability and memory function, new synapses must be selectively pruned or maintained. Li et al. used two-photon imaging of the dendritic spines of mouse primary motor cortex pyramidal neurons to demonstrate the role of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in these processes. They found that REM sleep deprivation impairs the pruning of new synapses and the strengthening and survival of maintained new synapses during development and after motor learning, and demonstrated a role for NMDA receptor-mediated dendritic Ca2+ transients in this effect.
References
Li, W. et al. REM sleep selectively prunes and maintains new synapses in development and learning. Nat. Neurosci. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn.4479 2017)
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Whalley, K. REM sleep targets new synapses. Nat Rev Neurosci 18, 130 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2017.21
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2017.21