Studies on the 3-dimensional architecture of dendritic spines and varicosities in human cortex by confocal laser scanning microscopy and Lucifer yellow microinjections.

A method for 3-dimensional (3-D) visualization of dendritic spines and varicosities in human cortical neurons is described. Intracellular microinjection of Lucifer Yellow was used to display the morphology of dendrites on pyramidal and non-pyramidal neurons. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used for imaging, and 3-D reconstructions and analysis of spines and varicosities were performed. The frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital cortices, and hippocampus in normal and pathological human brains were studied. Using this technique spines can be visualized from both sides of dendrites, which are 'hidden' in 2-D representations, and therefore not usually included in the extimation of dendritic spine density/total spine numbers. In patients with Rett's syndrome and some epilepsy patients, a regional loss of dendritic spines ('naked' dendrites) was found. These results will be included in the Human Brain Mapping Project.