Chapter 1: Introduction: What are dendritic spines? -- Chapter 2: Techniques to render dendritic spines visible in the microscope -- Chapter 3: Electrophysiology of dendritic spines: information processing, dynamic compartmentalization and synaptic plasticity -- Chapter 4: Dendritic spines, synaptogenesis and synaptic pruning for the developmental organization of brain circuits -- Chapter 5: Neurotrophic factors and dendritic spines -- Chapter 6: Glial cell modulation of dendritic spine structure and synaptic function -- Chapter 7: Dendritic spines in learning and memory: from first discoveries to current insights -- Chapter 8: Steroid hormone interaction with dendritic spines: implications for neuropsychiatric disease -- Chapter 9: Morphological features of human dendritic spines.