Impairments in dendrite morphogenesis as etiology for neurodevelopmental disorders and implications for therapeutic treatments. (September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Copf, Tijana
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. Volume 68(2016)
• Page Start: 946
• Page End: 978
• Publication Date: 2016-09
• Subjects: Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Ethology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiologie -- Périodiques; Comportement humain -- Périodiques; Animaux -- Mœurs et comportement -- Périodiques; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Animal behavior; Human behavior; Neurology; Psychophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 573.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.04.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-7634

Abstract

Highlights: Dendrite morphology is irregular in neurodevelopmental disorders. Many high-risk autism genes regulate dendrite morphogenesis. Many schizophrenia high-risk genes direct dendrite morphogenesis. Irregular dendrite morphology may be a part of etiology in autism and schizophrenia. Abstract: Dendrite morphology is pivotal for neural circuitry functioning. While the causative relationship between small-scale dendrite morphological abnormalities (shape, density of dendritic spines) and neurodevelopmental disorders is well established, such relationship remains elusive for larger-scale dendrite morphological impairments (size, shape, branching pattern of dendritic trees). Here, we summarize published data on dendrite morphological irregularities in human patients and animal models for neurodevelopmental disorders, with focus on autism and schizophrenia. We next discuss high-risk genes for these disorders and their role in dendrite morphogenesis. We finally overview recent developments in therapeutic attempts and we discuss how they relate to dendrite morphology. We find that both autism and schizophrenia are accompanied by dendritic arbor morphological irregularities, and that majority of their high-risk genes regulate dendrite morphogenesis. Thus, we present a compelling argument that, along with smaller-scale morphological impairments in dendrites (spines and synapse), irregularities in larger-scale dendrite morphology (arbor shape, size) may be an important part of neurodevelopmental disorders' etiology. We suggest that this should not be ignored when developing future therapeutic treatments.