Developing networks follow common rules to shift from silent cells to coactive networks that
operate via thousands of synapses. This review deals with some of these rules and in …

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) comprise a heterogeneous group of pathological
conditions, mainly of genetic origin, characterized by stereotyped behavior, marked …

Current techniques for monitoring GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid), the primary inhibitory
neurotransmitter in vertebrates, cannot follow transients in intact neural circuits. To develop …

We provide protocols for preparing low-density dissociated-cell cultures of hippocampal
neurons from embryonic rats or mice. The neurons are cultured on polylysine-treated …

The architecture of the actin cytoskeleton that concentrates at presynapses remains poorly
known, hindering our understanding of its roles in synaptic physiology. In this work, we …

BACKGROUND: Oxytocin (OT) has been suggested as a treatment to improve social
behavior in autistic patients. Accordingly, the OT (Oxt−/−) and the OT receptor null mice …

We used actin-perturbing agents and detergent extraction of primary hippocampal cultures
to test directly the role of the actin cytoskeleton in localizing GABAA receptors, AMPA-and …

Despite the extensive use of in-vitro models for neuroscientific investigations and
notwithstanding the growing field of network electrophysiology, all studies on cultured cells …

Balanced development of excitatory and inhibitory synapses is required for normal brain
function, and an imbalance in this development may underlie the pathogenesis of many …

During brain development, before sensory systems become functional, neuronal networks
spontaneously generate repetitive bursts of neuronal activity, which are typically …