[HTML][HTML] The regulatory role of long-term depression in juvenile and adult mouse ocular dominance plasticity

K Yang, W Xiong, G Yang, L Kojic, C Taghibiglou… - Scientific Reports, 2011 - nature.com
K Yang, W Xiong, G Yang, L Kojic, C Taghibiglou, YT Wang, M Cynader
Scientific Reports, 2011nature.com
The study of experience-dependent ocular dominance (OD) plasticity has greatly contributed
to the understanding of visual development. During the critical period, preventing input from
one eye results in a significant impairment of vision and loss of cortical responsivity via the
deprived eye. Residual ocular dominance plasticity has recently been observed in
adulthood. Accumulating evidence suggests that OD plasticity involves N-methyl-D-
aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-dependent long-term depression (LTD). Here we report that …
Abstract
The study of experience-dependent ocular dominance (OD) plasticity has greatly contributed to the understanding of visual development. During the critical period, preventing input from one eye results in a significant impairment of vision and loss of cortical responsivity via the deprived eye. Residual ocular dominance plasticity has recently been observed in adulthood. Accumulating evidence suggests that OD plasticity involves N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-dependent long-term depression (LTD). Here we report that the administration of a selective LTD antagonist prevented the ocular dominance shift during the critical period. The NMDAR co-agonist D-serine facilitated adult visual cortical LTD and the OD shift in short-term monocularly deprived (MD) adult mice. When combined with reverse suture, D-serine proved effective in restoring a contralaterally-dominated visual input pattern in long-term MD mice. This work suggests LTD as a key mechanism in both juvenile and adult ocular dominance plasticity and D-serine as a potential therapeutic in human amblyopic subjects.
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