Electrical activity and development of neural circuits
1Keck Center of Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143-0732, USA.
Abstract:
A distinct feature of the nervous system is the intricate network of synaptic connections among neurons of diverse phenotypes. Although initial connections are formed largely through molecular mechanisms that depend on intrinsic developmental programs, spontaneous and experience-driven electrical activities in the developing brain exert critical epigenetic influence on synaptic maturation and refinement of neural circuits. Selective findings discussed here illustrate some of our current understanding of the effects of electrical activity on circuit development and highlight areas that await further study.
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