Adult cortical plasticity depends on an early postnatal critical period

Greenhill, Stuart D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5038-5258, Juczewski, Konrad, de Haan, Annelies M., Seaton, Gillian, Fox, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2563-112X and Hardingham, Neil R. 2015. Adult cortical plasticity depends on an early postnatal critical period. Science 349 (6246) , pp. 424-237. 10.1126/science.aaa8481

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Abstract

Development of the cerebral cortex is influenced by sensory experience during distinct phases of postnatal development known as critical periods. Disruption of experience during a critical period produces neurons that lack specificity for particular stimulus features, such as location in the somatosensory system. Synaptic plasticity is the agent by which sensory experience affects cortical development. Here, we describe, in mice, a developmental critical period that affects plasticity itself. Transient neonatal disruption of signaling via the C-terminal domain of “disrupted in schizophrenia 1” (DISC1)—a molecule implicated in psychiatric disorders—resulted in a lack of long-term potentiation (LTP) (persistent strengthening of synapses) and experience-dependent potentiation in adulthood. Long-term depression (LTD) (selective weakening of specific sets of synapses) and reversal of LTD were present, although impaired, in adolescence and absent in adulthood. These changes may form the basis for the cognitive deficits associated with mutations in DISC1 and the delayed onset of a range of psychiatric symptoms in late adolescence.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Biosciences
Subjects:	R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Additional Information:	PDF uploaded in accordance with publisher's policy at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/0036-8075/ (accessed 13.8.15).
Publisher:	American Association for the Advancement of Science
ISSN:	0036-8075
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Date of Acceptance:	23 June 2015
Last Modified:	05 May 2023 07:16
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/75258

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