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Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex

Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex

Published on: February 8, 2020

Critical-period plasticity in the visual cortex.

Christiaan N Levelt¹, Mark Hübener

¹Department of Molecular Visual Plasticity, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, 1105BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands. c.levelt@nin.knaw.nl

Annual Review of Neuroscience

|April 3, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Brain plasticity, known as critical periods, is crucial for developing neuronal circuits. This review explores mechanisms that open and close these periods in the visual cortex, finding plasticity extends beyond peak times.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Neuroscience
Systems Neuroscience

Background:

Neuronal circuits in the developing brain exhibit heightened plasticity during critical periods.
Research in rodent visual cortex elucidates cellular and molecular regulators of critical period timing.
Maturation of inhibitory circuits is implicated in the onset of visual cortex critical periods.

Purpose of the Study:

To review established and identify needed mechanisms regulating the timing of critical periods in the visual cortex.
To investigate the factors that terminate critical periods.
To examine the presence of visual cortex plasticity outside of the primary critical period.

Main Methods:

This study is a review of existing literature.
It synthesizes findings on cellular and molecular mechanisms.
It highlights areas requiring further experimental investigation.

Main Results:

The maturation of specific inhibitory circuits is a key factor in initiating critical periods.
The mechanisms terminating critical periods are less understood.
Plasticity in the visual cortex persists before and after the main critical period.

Conclusions:

While inhibitory circuit maturation opens critical periods, the closing mechanisms require further research.
Visual cortex plasticity is not confined to the critical period but extends beyond it.
Understanding these mechanisms is vital for addressing developmental brain disorders.