Ontogenetic Examinations of Frequency-Dependent Synaptic Plasticity in the Hippocampal Dentate Gyrus

9618935 Bronzino本研究旨在验证一项假设，即在出生后早期发育过程中，在与学习和记忆密切相关的结构--海马体结构中，一个特定的神经元回路--穿孔路径/齿状颗粒突触--的突触可塑性发生显著变化。最近，有研究表明，海马区电路对传入输入的反应取决于输入的频率和模式。具体地说，对特定模式的海马区传入输入的反应可能导致海马区突触反应的增强(长时程增强)或减弱(长时程抑制)。本研究的主要目的是应用最新发展的外科手术和记录技术，对断奶前自由活动的雄性和雌性大鼠穿孔通路/齿状颗粒细胞突触的频率依赖性反应的发展进行量化。在这项研究中，将使用诱发场电位分析来评估突触激活和细胞放电的变化。这项工作将试图量化在发育早期频率依赖的突触功能的变化。这项研究可以为已知参与空间学习、记忆和映射等认知过程的神经网络的功能发展提供信息。***

9618935 Bronzino This research is designed to test the hypothesis that there are significant changes, during early postnatal development, in synaptic plasticity in a specific neuronal circuit, the perforant path/dentate granule synapse, in the hippocampal formation, a structure intimately involved in learning and memory. Recently, it has been shown that hippocampal circuit responses to afferent input vary depending upon the frequency and pattern of the input. Specifically, the response to certain patterns of hippocampal afferent inputs may result in either enhancement (long-term potentiation), or a diminishment (long-term depression) of the hippocampal synaptic response. The major goal of this research is to apply recently developed surgical and recording techniques to quantify the development of frequency-dependent responses of the perforant path/dentate granule cell synapse in preweaning, freely moving male and female rats. In this research, evoked field potential analyses will be used to evaluate changes in both synaptic activation and cellular discharge. This work will attempt to quantify changes in frequency-dependent synaptic function during an early period of development. This research could provide information on the functional development of a neural network known to be involved in cognitive processes including spatial learning, memory and mapping. ***