This proposal aims to investigate the relationship between the anatomical and functional plasticity of mammalian brain using ocular dominance plasticity in mouse visual cortex as a model system. Occluding an eye during early postnatal development leads to a rapid loss of vision through the deprived eye. The location and means of synaptic change in ocular dominance plasticity is a major outstanding problem in systems neuroscience. Recent evidence suggests that the earliest changes occur in the superficial layers (layer ll/lll) of primary visual cortex where some connections appear to rewire on a rapid timescale (< 2 days). By using new imaging techniques that facilitate the chronic imaging of single axons in the living brain, I aim to investigate further the hypothesis that visual deprivation stimulates a rapid rearrangement of synaptic connections in layer ll/lll. At the same time, I will use intrinsic signal imaging to keep track of the ocular dominance of the cortical territory containing the axons of study. I plan to apply these techniques to study the role of inhibition in opening the critical period for ocular dominance plasticity. Altogether, it is likely that this work will help elucidate the anatomical underpinnings of cortical plasticity. ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
5F32EY016317-03
Application #
7195002
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-F02B (20))
Program Officer
Oberdorfer, Michael
Project Start
2005-03-01
Project End
2008-02-29
Budget Start
2007-03-01
Budget End
2008-02-29
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$50,428
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California San Francisco
Department
Physiology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
094878337
City
San Francisco
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94143
Southwell, Derek G; Froemke, Robert C; Alvarez-Buylla, Arturo et al. (2010) Cortical plasticity induced by inhibitory neuron transplantation. Science 327:1145-8
Gandhi, Sunil P; Yanagawa, Yuchio; Stryker, Michael P (2008) Delayed plasticity of inhibitory neurons in developing visual cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105:16797-802