# Diversity Supplement: Mechanisms of striatal structural and functional plasticity

> **NIH NIH R01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $13,620

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Dendritic spines are the remarkable, specialized membrane compartments on neurons that house
the postsynaptic, receiving end of most excitatory, glutamatergic synapses in the brain. They are
highly plastic and change during development, learning, and in disease. This proposal relies on
multi-laser 2-photon imaging and photostimulation approaches to generate and evaluate new
connections on genetically targeted striatal neurons, dissecting interacting variables of sex, age,
and neuromodulatory state. The proposal builds on preliminary observations of sex differences in
spinogenesis, which may interact with other convergent signaling cascades to control dendritic
spine formation and sensitivity to therapeutic agents. The proposed work would yield valuable
insights into new spine and synapse genesis, early-stage function, and stability, impacting basic
research relevant to synaptic development and rules that guide plasticity. The resulting platform
will help to drive technical innovation that would allow researchers to design therapies to augment
reconstruction of neuronal architecture or deconstruct aberrant connectivity. The current
supplement introduces a new form of imaging to the project, while supporting a promising
undergraduate student in research and career development.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10302649
- **Project number:** 3R01NS107539-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** YEVGENIA KOZOROVITSKIY
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $13,620
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10302649

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10302649, Diversity Supplement: Mechanisms of striatal structural and functional plasticity (3R01NS107539-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10302649. Licensed CC0.

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