Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex....

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Correction: Brain mapping across 16 autism mouse models reveals a spectrum of functional connectivity subtypes.

Molecular psychiatry·2022

Same author

Brain mapping across 16 autism mouse models reveals a spectrum of functional connectivity subtypes.

Molecular psychiatry·2021

Same author

Genetic Otx2 mis-localization delays critical period plasticity across brain regions.

Molecular psychiatry·2017

Same author

Oxidative stress-driven parvalbumin interneuron impairment as a common mechanism in models of schizophrenia.

Molecular psychiatry·2017

Same author

Genetic Otx2 mis-localization delays critical period plasticity across brain regions.

Molecular psychiatry·2017

Same author

Sensory experience regulates cortical inhibition by inducing IGF1 in VIP neurons.

Nature·2016

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 3, 2026

A Large Lateral Craniotomy Procedure for Mesoscale Wide-field Optical Imaging of Brain Activity

A Large Lateral Craniotomy Procedure for Mesoscale Wide-field Optical Imaging of Brain Activity

Published on: May 7, 2017

Inhibitory threshold for critical-period activation in primary visual cortex.

M Fagiolini¹, T K Hensch

¹Laboratory for Neuronal Circuit Development, Brain Science Institute RIKEN, Saitama, Japan.

|March 21, 2000

Summary

The brain retains plasticity throughout life until a specific inhibitory threshold is reached. Enhancing GABAergic inhibition can unlock this plasticity, influencing critical periods for neural development.

More Related Videos

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Published on: September 11, 2017

Computational Modeling of Retinal Neurons for Visual Prosthesis Research - Fundamental Approaches

Computational Modeling of Retinal Neurons for Visual Prosthesis Research - Fundamental Approaches

Published on: June 21, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 3, 2026

A Large Lateral Craniotomy Procedure for Mesoscale Wide-field Optical Imaging of Brain Activity

A Large Lateral Craniotomy Procedure for Mesoscale Wide-field Optical Imaging of Brain Activity

Published on: May 7, 2017

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Published on: September 11, 2017

Computational Modeling of Retinal Neurons for Visual Prosthesis Research - Fundamental Approaches

Computational Modeling of Retinal Neurons for Visual Prosthesis Research - Fundamental Approaches

Published on: June 21, 2022

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Biology
Neuroplasticity

Background:

Neuronal circuits exhibit plasticity during development, but critical periods for refinement are not fully understood.
Neocortical circuits lose responsiveness to sensory input after early developmental stages.
The mechanisms establishing these critical periods remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of inhibitory neurotransmission in establishing critical periods for neural plasticity.
To determine if plasticity potential is retained beyond early developmental stages.
To explore the impact of GABAergic system modulation on experience-dependent plasticity.

Main Methods:

Utilized GAD65 knockout mice lacking a GABA synthetic enzyme isoform.
Administered benzodiazepines to modulate GABAergic transmission in mice of various ages.
Assessed visual cortex plasticity using monocular deprivation paradigms.
Analyzed short-term presynaptic dynamics to evaluate synaptic reorganization.

Main Results:

Plasticity potential persists throughout life until a specific inhibitory threshold is met.
Benzodiazepines unmasked plasticity in GAD65 knockout mice and immature wild-type animals.
Early enhancement of GABAergic transmission prevented adult insensitivity to monocular deprivation.
Synaptic reorganization was observed in GAD65 knockout mice following diazepam treatment.

Conclusions:

A threshold level of inhibition in the visual cortex may trigger a critical period for circuit consolidation.
This critical period, once initiated, allows for experience-dependent plasticity.
The potential for plasticity may lie dormant until triggered by specific inhibitory levels.