The role of spatio-temporal firing patterns in neuronal development of sensory systems

The emergence of precise and orderly sets of neuronal connections often depends upon coordinated electrical activity during the early stages of development. In recent years, an increasing number of reports have shown that neurons of immature sensory systems can spontaneously generate electrical activity that occurs synchronously amongst adjacent cells. These patterns of correlated activity seem to be well suited to the role of providing the cues that are necessary for the activity-dependent refinement of the neural connections in the developing visual, auditory and somatosensory pathways.