Synaptic morphology and the influence of auditory experience

The auditory experience is crucial for the normal development and maturation of brain structure and the maintenance of the auditory pathways. The specific aims of this review are (i) to provide a brief background of the synaptic morphology of the endbulb of Held in hearing and deaf animals; (ii) to argue the importance of this large synaptic ending in linking neural activity along ascending pathways to environmental acoustic events; (iii) to describe how the re-introduction of electrical activity changes this synapse; and (iv) to examine how changes at the endbulb synapse initiate trans-synaptic changes in ascending auditory projections to the superior olivary complex, the inferior complex, and the auditory cortex. ► We to provide a brief background of the synaptic morphology of the endbulb of Held. ► We argue the importance of this synapse in linking neural activity to environmental acoustic events. ► We describe how the re-introduction of electrical activity changes this synapse. ► We report how changes at the endbulb synapse initiate trans-synaptic modifications.