Post-lesion plasticity in the auditory central nervous system

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Regenerative responses to damage in the central nervous system (CNS) can be elicited may two types of mechanisms. One is regenerative sprouting or axonal regeneration from damaged neurons and the other is collateral sprouting from intact neurons. Collateral sprouting occurs widely in the CNS, as well as in the peripheral nervous system. On the other band, in the mammalian CNS, axonal regeneration is usually abortive. In this study, we observed axonal regeneration in the commissure of the inferior colliculus (CIC) of mice following its transection. While evidence concerning morphological re-organization of the CNS is accumulating, little is known about the consequent recovery of function at the cellular level. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the regenerated CIC axons could re-establish synapses with neurons in the inferior colliculus (IC). If the synapses were re-established, our concern was their functional features. Some statistical differences were found between the two neuronal populations of the operated mice and the unoperated controls. However, the re-established synapses seem to be properly re-organized into newly established neural circuits which may be similar to those in the intact animals. This means the restitution of synaptic integrity occurs even after mechanical transection of the axons within mammalian brain.