Analyzing Synaptic Boutons in Layer 3 of the Primary Visual Cortex in the Human Brain

Overview

In the time it takes you to read this sentence the neurons in your brain have made billions of synaptic connections. The brain consists of 86 billion cells called neurons that make synapses every second to communicate with each other. The brain is home to the central nervous system which controls the inner workings of the human body. Synaptic activity is essential for the function of the brain and the human body. We studied the synaptic morphology in the primary visual cortex, located in the occipital lobe, intending to relate their morphology with their physiology or synaptic activity. This part of the brain is the visual association area which grants us vision. Focusing on layer 3 of this area we utilized 3D reconstruction to build models of the presynaptic axon their mitochondria and their synapses. Our research goal was to understand how the morphology of these boutons (axons) impact the synapses produced in layer 3 of the Primary Visual Cortex. We concluded that there is a significant difference between the volume distribution of boutons based on the presence and absence of mitochondria, there is a positive relationship between mitochondria volume and bouton volume, and lastly, there is a positive relationship between bouton volume and PSD (synapse) volume. Through this research, we hope that an in-depth understanding of the relationship between the anatomical structures of neurons and their synapses can guide scientists to generate realistic models of the primary visual cortex, and possibly guide treatment for synaptic recovery following occipital injuries.

Competition history

• JSHS 2023 Category not listed

Resources

• National JSHS abstract book ↗

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