The potency of the environment to shape brain function changes dramatically across the
lifespan. Neural circuits exhibit profound plasticity during early life and are later stabilized. A …

Donald Hebb chose visual learning in primary visual cortex (V1) of the rodent to exemplify
his theories of how the brain stores information through long-lasting homosynaptic plasticity …

Experience alters cortical networks through neural plasticity mechanisms. During a
developmental critical period, the most dramatic consequence of occluding vision through …

Genetic risk factors for neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), are
expressed throughout the life span. How these risk factors affect early brain development …

Homeostasis of neural firing properties is important in stabilizing neuronal circuitry, but how
such plasticity might depend on alternative splicing is not known. Here we report that chronic …

Brief (2-3d) monocular deprivation (MD) during the critical period induces a profound loss of
responsiveness within binocular (V1b) and monocular (V1m) regions of rodent primary …

How homeostatic processes contribute to map plasticity and stability in sensory cortex is not
well-understood. Classically, sensory deprivation first drives rapid Hebbian weakening of …

Amblyopia is a developmental disorder resulting in poor vision in one eye. The mechanism
by which input to the affected eye is prevented from reaching the level of awareness remains …

The mammalian neocortex is composed of a variety of cell types organized in a highly
interconnected circuit. GABAergic neurons account for only about 20% of cortical neurons …

Critical periods are postnatal, restricted time windows of heightened plasticity in cortical
neural networks, during which experience refines principal neuron wiring configurations …