2023
Conditional Astrocyte Rac1KO Attenuates Hyperreflexia after Spinal Cord Injury
Benson C, Olson K, Patwa S, Kauer S, King J, Waxman S, Tan A. Conditional Astrocyte Rac1KO Attenuates Hyperreflexia after Spinal Cord Injury. Journal Of Neuroscience 2023, 44: e1670222023. PMID: 37963762, PMCID: PMC10851682, DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1670-22.2023.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSpinal cord injuryRate-dependent depressionΑ-motor neuronsGlutamate transporter 1Dendritic spine dysgenesisCord injurySpine dysgenesisDevelopment of SCIMild contusion spinal cord injuryAstrocytic glutamate transporter 1Glial-specific glutamate transporterContusion spinal cord injuryTransporter 1Development of hyperreflexiaMonosynaptic H-reflexDendritic spine densityPre-injury levelSpinal reflex circuitsVentral spinal cordReflex hyperexcitabilityHyperexcitability disordersFunctional recoveryGlutamate clearanceH-reflexVentral horn
2021
Conditional RAC1 knockout in motor neurons restores H-reflex rate-dependent depression after spinal cord injury
Benson CA, Olson KL, Patwa S, Reimer ML, Bangalore L, Hill M, Waxman SG, Tan AM. Conditional RAC1 knockout in motor neurons restores H-reflex rate-dependent depression after spinal cord injury. Scientific Reports 2021, 11: 7838. PMID: 33837249, PMCID: PMC8035187, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87476-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSpinal cord injuryDendritic spine dysgenesisMotor neuronsSpine dysgenesisSCI animalsHyperexcitability disordersCord injurySpinal alpha motor neuronsVentral horn motor neuronsAbnormal dendritic spine morphologyRac1 knockoutH-reflex pathwayRate-dependent depressionAlpha motor neuronsDevelopment of spasticityAdeno-associated viralMushroom dendritic spinesSpine head sizeOverall spine lengthDendritic spine morphologyRac1 protein expressionNeuronal hyperexcitabilityMajor complicationsClinical symptomsReflex excitability
2020
Dendritic Spine Dynamics after Peripheral Nerve Injury: An Intravital Structural Study
Benson CA, Fenrich KK, Olson KL, Patwa S, Bangalore L, Waxman SG, Tan AM. Dendritic Spine Dynamics after Peripheral Nerve Injury: An Intravital Structural Study. Journal Of Neuroscience 2020, 40: 4297-4308. PMID: 32371602, PMCID: PMC7252482, DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2858-19.2020.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDendritic spine dynamicsInjury-induced painPeripheral nerve injuryNeuropathic painDorsal hornSpine dynamicsNerve injuryPeripheral nerve injury-induced painNerve injury-induced painSuperficial dorsal horn neuronsSpinal cord dorsal hornDorsal horn neuronsSuperficial dorsal hornMechanisms of painDendritic spine dysgenesisContext of injuryPostmortem tissue analysisSame dendritic branchRepeat imagingMale miceMedical conditionsEffective treatmentPainSpine dysgenesisDendritic spines