BDNF regulates the maturation of inhibition and the critical period of plasticity in mouse visual cortex

Article Abstract:

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which regulates maturation of inhibition and the critical period of plasticity in the visual cortex of mice, is discussed. Visual cortex maturation is influenced by visual experience during an early postnatal period. In transgenic mice in which the postnatal increase of BDNF was speeded up, this was studied. Maturation of GABAergic innervation and inhibition was speeded up and the age-dependent decline of cortical long-term potentiation induced by white matter stimulation happened sooner. Precocious development of visual acuity and an earlier end for the critical period for ocular dominance plasticity was seen.

Italy, Statistical Data Included, Genetic aspects, Mice, mutant strains, Mutant mice, Cell differentiation, Cellular control mechanisms, Cell regulation, Neurons, Visual cortex, Nerve growth factor

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The essential role of hippocampal CA1 NMDA receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity in spatial memory

Article Abstract:

A novel method based on the Cre/loc recombination system from phage P1 was utilized for the restricted deletion of the (N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor) NMDAR1 gene in the pyramidal cells of the hippocampal CA1 region of mice. The CA1-restricted NMDAR1 mutants developed normal brains but the slow component of the excitatory postsynaptic current was absent in their CA1-knock out cells. Furthermore, the mutant mice exhibited deficient learning abilities and spatial memory indicating the role of NMDA in the formation of specific forms of memory.

Methods, Genetic engineering, Memory, Mice as laboratory animals, House mouse, Hippocampus (Brain), Animal intelligence, Methyl aspartate, N-methyl-D-aspartate

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Forebrain-specific calcineurin knockout selectively impairs bidirectional synaptic plasticity and working/episodic-like memory

Article Abstract:

Results point out that the calcium-dependent protein phosphatase, calcineurin, of the mouse forebrain mediates the bidirectional synaptic plasticity and differentiates between working/episodic-like memory and reference memory. Mutant mice with disrupted calcineurin show impairment in hippocampus-dependent working and episodic-like memory tasks.

India, Models, Analysis, Computer networks, Gene mutations, Gene mutation, Neural networks, Calcineurin

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