title: Maturation of GABAergic transmission and the timing of plasticity in visual cortex.
abstract: During a brief postnatal critical period, excitatory connections in visual cortex can be easily modified by alterations of visual experience. Recent studies conducted in rodents, and particularly in genetically altered mice, have implicated the maturation of cortical GABAergic inhibition in the timing of the critical period. In this paper we (1) review the postnatal changes in GABAergic transmission that can have consequences for visual cortex plasticity and (2) discuss possible mechanisms by which GABAergic circuits could regulate the onset and termination of the critical period for cortical plasticity.
authors: Mind/Brain Institute 338 Krieger Hall, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
authors: Bin
authors: B
authors: Jiang
authors: Z Josh
authors: ZJ
authors: Huang
authors: Bernardo
authors: B
authors: Morales
authors: Alfredo
authors: A
authors: Kirkwood
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid