Net decrease in spine-surface GluA1-containing AMPA receptors after post-learning sleep in the adult mouse cortex
Abstract
The mechanisms by which sleep benefits learning and memory remain unclear. Sleep may further strengthen the synapses potentiated by learning or promote broad synaptic weakening while protecting the newly potentiated synapses. We tested these ideas by combining a motor task whose consolidation is sleep-dependent, a marker of synaptic AMPA receptor plasticity, and repeated two-photon imaging to track hundreds of spines in vivo with single spine resolution. In mouse motor cortex, sleep leads to an overall net decrease in spine-surface GluA1-containing AMPA receptors, both before and after learning. Molecular changes in single spines during post-learning sleep are correlated with changes in performance after sleep. The spines in which learning leads to the largest increase in GluA1 expression have a relative advantage after post-learning sleep compared to sleep deprivation, because sleep weakens all remaining spines. These results are obtained in adult mice, showing that sleep-dependent synaptic down-selection also benefits the mature brain.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- May 17, 2021
- Source ID
- 10.1038/s41467-021-23156-2
Entities
People
- Chiara Cirelli
- Daisuke Miyamoto
- Giulio Tononi
- William Marshall
Organizations
- Human Frontier Science Program
- National Institute of Mental Health
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Office of the Director
- United States Department of Defense
- United States Department of Health and Human Services