Brain Plasticity and Disease: A Matter of Inhibition
Author Information
Author(s): Baroncelli Laura, Braschi Chiara, Spolidoro Maria, Begenisic Tatjana, Maffei Lamberto, Sale Alessandro
Primary Institution: National Research Council (CNR), Neuroscience Institute
Hypothesis
The inhibition-excitation balance controls adult brain plasticity and is at the core of the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Conclusion
A brief reduction of GABAergic inhibition can reopen a window of plasticity in the visual cortex well after the normal closure of the critical period.
Supporting Evidence
- Reducing intracortical inhibition in adult rats reactivates ocular dominance plasticity.
- Environmental enrichment enhances visual cortex plasticity by reducing GABAergic inhibition.
- Pharmacological reduction of GABAergic inhibition restores plasticity in the adult visual cortex.
- Serotonin plays a key role in promoting adult visual cortex plasticity.
- Dark exposure can promote plasticity in the visual cortex by reducing inhibitory synaptic density.
Takeaway
This study shows that reducing the brain's inhibitory signals can help it adapt and change, even in adults, which is important for treating conditions like amblyopia and autism.
Methodology
The paper summarizes recent findings and discusses various experimental approaches related to GABAergic inhibition and plasticity.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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