Selective plasticity of callosal neurons in the adult contralesional cortex following murine traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in deficits that are often followed by recovery. The contralesional cortex can contribute to this process but how distinct contralesional neurons and circuits respond to injury remains to be determined. To unravel adaptations in the contralesional cortex, we used chronic in vivo two-photon imaging. We observed a general decrease in spine density with concomitant changes in spine dynamics over time. With retrograde co-labeling techniques, we showed that callosal neurons are uniquely affected by and responsive to TBI. To elucidate circuit connectivity, we used monosynaptic rabies tracing, clearing techniques and histology. We demonstrate that contralesional callosal neurons adapt their input circuitry by strengthening ipsilateral connections from pre-connected areas. Finally, functional in vivo two-photon imaging demonstrates that the restoration of pre-synaptic circuitry parallels the restoration of callosal activity patterns. Taken together our study thus delineates how callosal neurons structurally and functionally adapt following a contralateral murine TBI. Which contralesional circuits adapt after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is unclear. Here the authors used in vivo imaging, retrograde labeling, rabies tracing, clearing and functional imaging to demonstrate that callosal neurons selectively adapt after TBI in mice.