The role of zincergic neurons, and zinc signalling, in cortical plasticity

大脑的一个基本特性是它具有高度的可塑性，这意味着它能够根据感官输入、学习、社会和身体互动、接触药物和激素或受伤所提供的体验而改变和适应。这种可塑性是由神经细胞在分子、细胞、突触和网络水平上的结构和功能变化所介导的。可塑性可以包括突触连接的经验依赖性加强，或新细胞或突触的形成。同样重要的是，可塑性可能涉及突触连接的经验依赖性减弱，或细胞或突触的损失。哺乳动物的大脑皮层在可塑性方面具有重要意义，因为它执行了许多最高级别的心理功能。我们的目标是通过动物模型来推进我们对哺乳动物大脑皮层中负责调节经验依赖可塑性的细胞、分子和行为机制的理解。具体地说，我们使用了体感系统通路，在那里我们可以很容易地在体感皮层的水平上操纵感觉体验。我们可以通过被动刺激须状物来驱动特定的活动模式，或者我们可以通过修剪或拔掉须状物来剥夺皮层的感官输入。

A fundamental property of the brain is that it is highly plastic, meaning that it is capable of changing and adapting as a result of experiences provided by sensory inputs, learning, social and physical interactions, exposure to drugs and hormones, or injury. This plasticity is mediated by changes to the structure and function of neural cells at molecular, cellular, synaptic and network levels. Plasticity can involve the experience-dependent strengthening of synaptic connections, or the formation of new cells or synapses. As importantly, plasticity can involve the experience-dependent weakening of synaptic connections, or the loss of cells or synapses. The mammalian cerebral cortex is of key interest with regard to plasticity because it carries out many of the highest levels of mental functioning. Our goal is to advance our understanding of the cellular, molecular and behavioural mechanisms responsible for mediating experience-dependent plasticity in the mammalian cerebral cortex using an animal model. Specifically, we use the whisker somatosensory system pathway, where we can easily manipulate sensory experience at the level of the somatosensory cortex. We can drive specific patterns of activity by passively stimulating a whisker, or we can deprive the cortex of sensory input by trimming or plucking the whisker.