Spines are small actin-rich protrusions located on neuronal dendrites. These spines receive
the majority of excitatory synaptic input in the central nervous system and are responsible
for neural processing of information. While the majority of spines in the adult brain are
relatively stable, there is also a population of dynamic spines that provide a structural and
biochemical compartment capable of undergoing rapid morphological and functional
changes (Holtmaat et al., 2005, Alvarez and Sabatini, 2007). This pool of flexible spines
enables fast adaptive responses that are required for higher brain function and processing of
stimuli. Plasticity refers not only to changes in cytoskeletal architecture that is required for
stabilization and destabilization of dendritic spine structure but also to regulation of pre- and
postsynaptic proteins and ion channels that control physiological responses