ratio of NR2A/B NMDA receptor subunits determines the qualities of ocular dominance plasticity in visual cortex

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 106; no. 13; pp. 5377 - 5382
• Main Authors: Cho, Kathleen K.A, Khibnik, Lena, Philpot, Benjamin D, Bear, Mark F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences 31.03.2009; National Acad Sciences
• Subjects: Animals; Biological Sciences; Brain; Dominance, Ocular; Eyes; Genetics; Long term depression; Long term potentiation; Mice; Mice, Knockout; N methyl D aspartate receptors; Neuronal Plasticity; Neurons; Neuroscience; Neurosciences; Ocular dominance; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - analysis; Rodents; Synapses; Theory; Vision, Monocular; Visual Cortex; Visual deprivation

Bidirectional synaptic plasticity during development ensures that appropriate synapses in the brain are strengthened and maintained while inappropriate connections are weakened and eliminated. This plasticity is well illustrated in mouse visual cortex, where monocular deprivation during early postna...