BDNF in developing aortic baroreceptors & its role in the dendritic morphogenesis of neurons from the nucleus tractus solitarius

Cardiorespiratory reflexes, which regulate breathing and blood pressure, differ markedly between newborns and adults, suggesting significant postnatal maturation of their neural circuits. The mechanisms that guide this maturation remain largely unknown but are critical for understanding developmental disorders such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. This work tests the hypothesis that brain‑derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) released from cardiorespiratory afferents drives activity‑dependent development in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). I show that BDNF is present and released from baroreceptor neurons in patterns mimicking physiological activity and that BDNF influences dendritic growth of NTS neurons. These effects depend strongly on glial interactions, revealing an essential but underappreciated role for glia in shaping dendritogenesis. Together, these findings identify BDNF‑glia interactions as key contributors to maturation of cardiorespiratory pathways.