Molecular basis of plasticity in the visual cortex

• Published in: Trends in neurosciences (Regular ed.) Vol. 26; no. 7; pp. 369 - 378
• Main Authors: Berardi, Nicoletta, Pizzorusso, Tommaso, Ratto, Gian Michele, Maffei, Lamberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2003; Elsevier Science; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Dominance, Ocular; Extracellular Matrix - metabolism; Eye and associated structures. Visual pathways and centers. Vision; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation; Molecular biology; Nerve Growth Factors - metabolism; Nerve Growth Factors - physiology; Neural Inhibition; Neurology; Neuronal Plasticity - physiology; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - metabolism; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - physiology; Sensory Deprivation; Signal Transduction; Synaptic Transmission; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Visual Cortex - metabolism; Visual Cortex - physiology; Visual cortex; Deprivation; Central nervous system; Review; Encephalon; Signal transduction; Experience; Neuron; Visual pathway; Ocular dominance; Plasticity; Extracellular matrix; Inhibition
• ISSN: 0166-2236; 1878-108X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0166-2236(03)00168-1

Sensory experience is known to shape the maturation of cortical circuits during development. A paradigmatic example is the effect of monocular deprivation on ocular dominance of visual cortical neurons. Although visual cortical plasticity has been widely studied since its initial discovery by Hubel and Wiesel >40 years ago, the description of the underlying molecular mechanisms has lagged behind. Several new findings are now beginning to close this gap. Recent data deepen our knowledge of the factors involved in the intercellular communication and intracellular signaling that mediate experience-dependent plasticity in the developing visual cortex. In addition, new findings suggest a role for the extracellular matrix in inhibition of ocular-dominance plasticity in the adult visual cortex.