Miniature neurotransmission is required to maintain Drosophila synaptic structures during ageing

Soumya Banerjee, Samuel Vernon, Wei Jiao, Ben Jiwon Choi, Evelyne Ruchti, Jamshid Asadzadeh, Olivier Burri, R. Steven Stowers and Brian D. McCabe ()
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Soumya Banerjee: EPFL - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne
Samuel Vernon: EPFL - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne
Wei Jiao: EPFL - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne
Ben Jiwon Choi: New York University
Evelyne Ruchti: EPFL - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne
Jamshid Asadzadeh: EPFL - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne
Olivier Burri: EPFL - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne
R. Steven Stowers: Montana State University
Brian D. McCabe: EPFL - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract The decline of neuronal synapses is an established feature of ageing accompanied by the diminishment of neuronal function, and in the motor system at least, a reduction of behavioural capacity. Here, we have investigated Drosophila motor neuron synaptic terminals during ageing. We observed cumulative fragmentation of presynaptic structures accompanied by diminishment of both evoked and miniature neurotransmission occurring in tandem with reduced motor ability. Through discrete manipulation of each neurotransmission modality, we find that miniature but not evoked neurotransmission is required to maintain presynaptic architecture and that increasing miniature events can both preserve synaptic structures and prolong motor ability during ageing. Our results establish that miniature neurotransmission, formerly viewed as an epiphenomenon, is necessary for the long-term stability of synaptic connections.

Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-24490-1

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24490-1

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