Direct Evidence for Dendritic Spine Compensation and Regeneration in Alzheimer’s Disease Models

Dendritic spine loss in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) strongly correlates with cognitive decline, whereas spine preservation is associated to cognitive resilience. Yet, whether and how neurons compensate for spine loss in AD remains largely unknown. Using a chromophore-assisted light inactivation approach (CALI), we developed a tool to selectively eliminate dendritic spines to model this key feature of AD. Using in vivo and in vitro two-photon imaging, we discovered that the artificial elimination of spines triggers a two-stage compensatory response: rapid enlargement of remaining spines followed by delayed spine regeneration. Remarkably, similar structural plasticity was observed across multiple β-amyloid-driven models of synapse loss, including the APP/PS1 mouse and following intracortical delivery of oligomeric β-amyloid. Mechanistically, compensatory spine enlargement required NMDA receptor activation and de novo protein synthesis. These findings suggest that neurons retain an intrinsic capacity to reverse early synaptic loss in AD, potentially contributing to cognitive resilience.