Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27561549›Full record

ReviewGenes, brain, and behavior2017

Structural and functional plasticity of dendritic spines - root or result of behavior?

C D Gipson, M F Olive

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Genes, brain, and behavior, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 101 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
101citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

101 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. The neuroimmune-glutamate hypothesis of addiction.Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Cue-Dependent Fear Learning Drives Nucleus Accumbens Spine Plasticity.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026
    Article
  11. Review
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Article

41 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

C D GipsonDepartment of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
M F OliveDepartment of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.

Funding

Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Signaling and Extinction LearningR01DA024355 · NIDA · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI OLIVE, M. FOSTER · 2007 to 2011
$1.5M
mGluR5 antagonists for methamphetamine addictionR01DA025606 · NIDA · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI OLIVE, M. FOSTER · 2009 to 2012
$1.2M
Contributions of Glial Glutamate Transport and NMDA Receptors in Nicotine RelapseR00DA036569 · NIDA · ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-TEMPE CAMPUS · PI GIPSON-REICHARDT, CASSANDRA D · 2016 to 2018
$836k
Optogenetic Targeting of mGluR5 Receptor SignalingR21DA037741 · NIDA · ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-TEMPE CAMPUS · PI OLIVE, M. FOSTER · 2014 to 2015
$383k
Contributions of Glial Glutamate Transport and NMDA Receptors in Nicotine RelapseK99DA036569 · NIDA · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI GIPSON-REICHARDT, CASSANDRA D · 2014 to 2015
$262k
NIDA NIH HHS K99 DA036569NIDA NIH HHS R00 DA036569NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA024355NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA025606NIDA NIH HHS R21 DA037741
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Dendritic spines are multifunctional integrative units of the nervous system and are highly diverse and dynamic in nature. Both internal and external stimuli influence dendritic spine density and morphology on the order of minutes. It is clear that the structural plasticity of dendritic spines is related to changes in synaptic efficacy, learning and memory and other cognitive processes. However, it is currently unclear whether structural changes in dendritic spines are primary instigators of changes in specific behaviors, a consequence of behavioral changes, or both. In this review, we first examine the basic structure and function of dendritic spines in the brain, as well as laboratory methods to characterize and quantify morphological changes in dendritic spines. We then discuss the existing literature on the temporal and functional relationship between changes in dendritic spines in specific brain regions and changes in specific behaviors mediated by those regions. Although technological advancements have allowed us to better understand the functional relevance of structural changes in dendritic spines that are influenced by environmental stimuli, the role of spine dynamics as an underlying driver or consequence of behavior still remains elusive. We conclude that while it is likely that structural changes in dendritic spines are both instigators and results of behavioral changes, improved research tools and methods are needed to experimentally and directly manipulate spine dynamics in order to more empirically delineate the relationship between spine structure and behavior.

Indexed as

BehaviorNeuronal PlasticityAnimalsBrainDendritic SpinesHumansActinbehaviorcytoskeletondendritic spinedynamicsglutamateGolgihistologymorphologyplasticity

Identifiers

PMID27561549
PMCPMC5243184

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.