9419900 Benson As the nervous system develops, exuberant connections are made between cells, many of which are later eliminated to arrive at the final pattern of connections. A question that has yet to be fully answered is the role that neural activity plays in this process of synapse formation, elimination, and consolidation. This research will investigate the formation of synapses between cultured hippocampal neurons, which have been shown to closely resemble their in vivo counterparts molecularly, structurally, and functionally. A number of experimental manipulations will be performed to elucidate the role of neural activity in the formation and stabilization of synapses and synaptic patterns. This entire process is integral to the development of the nervous system, and is one that is modifiable by experience and learning. The outcome of these experiments may provide fundamental information about how the electrical activity associated with neural activation refines the connections between nerve cells.
