title: Early depolarizing GABA controls critical-period plasticity in the rat visual cortex.
abstract: Hyperpolarizing and inhibitory GABA regulates critical periods for plasticity in sensory cortices. Here we examine the role of early, depolarizing GABA in the control of plasticity mechanisms. We report that brief interference with depolarizing GABA during early development prolonged critical-period plasticity in visual cortical circuits without affecting the overall development of the visual system. The effects on plasticity were accompanied by dampened inhibitory neurotransmission, downregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and reduced density of extracellular matrix perineuronal nets. Early interference with depolarizing GABA decreased perinatal BDNF signaling, and a pharmacological increase of BDNF signaling during GABA interference rescued the effects on plasticity and its regulators later in life. We conclude that depolarizing GABA exerts a long-lasting, selective modulation of plasticity of cortical circuits by a strong crosstalk with BDNF.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Brain Technologies Department, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deidda
authors.affiliation: 1] Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy. [2] CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Allegra
authors.affiliation: CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cerri
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Brain Technologies Department, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Shovan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naskar
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Brain Technologies Department, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bony
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Neuropathology, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zunino
authors.affiliation: 1] CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy. [2] Laboratory of Molecular Neuropathology, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bozzi
authors.affiliation: CNR Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caleo
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Brain Technologies Department, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cancedda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002034:Bumetanide / Q000494:pharmacology; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003423:Critical Period, Psychological; D004232:Diuretics / Q000494:pharmacology; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004232:Diuretics; D018756:GABA Antagonists; D002034:Bumetanide; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid