Neuroscience/Developmental Neurobiology/Activity Dependent

Activity Dependent shaping of neuronal circuitry during development

Aaron et al (2005) have demonstrated that the brains of mice lacking a protein found on most cortical neurons, the so-called Nogo receptor, can adapt to the loss of sight in one eye long after the brains of normal mice have lost this ability. The findings represent a dramatic demonstration that this type of neural plasticity, which normally is restricted to a critical period early in life, can be extended well into adulthood.

References

• Aaron W. McGee, Yupeng Yang, Quentin S. Fischer, Nigel W. Daw, and Stephen M. Strittmatter Experience-Driven Plasticity of Visual Cortex Limited by Myelin and Nogo Receptor Science 30 September 2005: 2222-2226