A variety of experiments suggest that metabotropic glutamate receptors are important in sensory-dependent plasticity in the visual cortex. At the same time, metabotropic glutamate receptors have a variety of effects on the electrophysiological properties of cells in the visual cortex, and these have not been extensively studied. Presynaptic inhibition, postsynaptic excitation, and potentiation of the response to NMDA have all been shown to occur, but each has been studied in one layer of the cortex and not in others. Most likely these different effects occur because there are a variety of metabotropic glutamate receptors (defined by molecular biological techniques) located at different places in the cortex. Work with in situ hybridization, and with antibodies created against particular metabotropic glutamate receptors (defined by molecular biological techniques) located at different places in the cortex. Work with in situ hybridization, and with antibodies created against particular metabotropic glutamate receptors, shows that there are laminar differences in the distribution of these receptors, and these change with age. This application proposes to study the laminar differences and development of the electrophysiological effects of metabotropic glutamate receptors. The hypothesis is that these electrophysiological properties make it more likely that the postsynaptic cell will fire when the presynaptic cell fires at particular ages in development, leading to strengthening of synapses through a Hebbian mechanism, which may correlate with the critical period for sensory-dependent plasticity.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY011353-02
Application #
2415044
Study Section
Visual Sciences B Study Section (VISB)
Project Start
1996-05-01
Project End
2000-04-30
Budget Start
1997-05-01
Budget End
1998-04-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Yale University
Department
Ophthalmology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
082359691
City
New Haven
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06520
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