The loss of synapses in AD has been observed in humans and several mouse models2,29,30, however, the specific, time-dependent dynamics of synaptic alterations warrants further investigation. Further, while the growth of amyloid plaques has been previously characterized in vivo30,31,32,33,34, their growth dynamics, as a function of size and age, and the relationship between plaque growth and synapse dynamics still remains to be determined. Subtle changes in fine plaque and synaptic detail, and their interactions over time, captured here using in vivo multiphoton imaging, cannot readily be studied using conventional post-mortem analyses.
In this current study, we present three main findings: firstly, amyloid plaques grow at a faster rate if they are large and in young animals, secondly axonal boutons, but not dendritic spines, are lost in amyloidopathy and thirdly, the stability of both…
