Canadian Association of Neuroscience Review: development and plasticity of the auditory cortex.
The functions of the cerebral cortex are predominantly established during the critical period of development. One obvious developmental feature is its division into different functional areas that systematically represent different environmental information. This is the result of interactions between intrinsic (genetic) factors and extrinsic (environmental) factors. Following this critical period, the cerebral cortex attains its adult form but it will continue to adapt to environmental changes. Thus, the cerebral cortex is constantly adapting to the environment (plasticity) from its embryonic stages to the last minute of life. This review details important factors that contribute to the development and plasticity of the auditory cortex. The instructive role of thalamocortical innervation, the regulatory role of cholinergic projection of the basal forebrain and the potential role of the corticofugal modulation are presented.
Yan
Jun
J
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Neuroscience Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada.
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000502:physiology; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000502:physiology
D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D000109:Acetylcholine