One of the major findings during the past thirty years of brain research is that experience can play an important role in the development of synapses. Dr. Lnenicka's research examines how the structure and function of the synaptic connections between nerve cells are influenced by experience. Synapses between nerve cells play an important role in the flow of information through the nervous system and changes in synaptic properties have been shown to have a direct effect on behavior. A key question in nervous system development is how the properties of the synapses are specified. In order to examine activity-dependent synaptic changes with the precision not presently possible in the complex mammalian brain, Dr. Lnenicka will study these synaptic changes in the simpler invertebrate nervous system. Findings from his studies will provide information on the basic mechanisms of experience dependent synaptic development. The results of Dr. Lnenicka's study are likely to be important for understanding important problems in neurobiology such as the cellular basis of plasticity in the nervous system. It is also likely that results obtained with this type of research can have foreseeable application in the domain of public health. For instance, recovery of function after peripheral nerve injury may be improved by applying procedures derived from a better knowledge of the factors affecting synaptic remodelling.***//
