Current Best Practices for Analysis of Dendritic Spine Morphology and Number in Neurodevelopmental Disorder Research

Quantitative methods for assessing neural anatomy have rapidly evolved in neuroscience and provide important insights into brain health and function. However, as new techniques develop, it is not always clear when and how each may be used to answer specific scientific questions posed. Dendritic spines, which are often indicative of synapse formation and neural plasticity, have been implicated across many brain regions in neurodevelopmental disorders as a marker for neural changes reflecting neural dysfunction or alterations. In this Perspective we highlight several techniques for staining, imaging, and quantifying dendritic spines as well as provide a framework for avoiding potential issues related to pseudoreplication. This framework illustrates how others may apply the most rigorous approaches. We consider the cost-benefit analysis of the varied techniques, recognizing that the most sophisticated equipment may not always be necessary for answering some research questions. Together, we hope this piece will help researchers determine the best strategy toward using the ever-growing number of techniques available to determine neural changes underlying dendritic spine morphology in health and neurodevelopmental disorders.