The role of experience dependent plasticity during the critical period of layer 4 to layer 2/3 in circuit function and connectivity (360G-Wellcome-097084_Z_11_A)

£23,056

During development the neuronal circuit formation begins at the periphery gradually moving toward more central processing structures, requiring both spontaneous and sensory evoked electrical activity 1'2. This project will investigate (1) what changes in functional network structure underlie maturation of receptive fields in layer 2/3, using fluorescent activity indicator two-photon imaging of barrels in the somatosensory cortex before, during, and after the critical period of layer 4 to layer 2/3 plasticity. Offline computational methods will be developed to generate functional connectivity maps, in order to identify changes in network structure in relation to graph theory. (2) How sens.ory-driven and intrinsic activity influence functional network maturation, will be investigated by whisker deprivation before, during and after the critical period followed by two-photon imaging and analysis of the network activity with and without sensory stimulation. (3) Subsequent online analysis will be developed in orderto characterise the role of neurons in network synchronisation and plasticity during this critical period using in vivo patch clamp. A network model will bedeveloped to further identify how underlying synaptic plasticity mechanisms drive network maturation.

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Grant Details

Amount Awarded 23056
Applicant Surname Whippey
Approval Committee PhD Studentships
Award Date 2012-12-18T00:00:00+00:00
Financial Year 2012/13
Grant Programme: Title PhD Studentship (Basic)
Internal ID 097084/Z/11/A
Lead Applicant Ms Nicole Whippey
Partnership Value 23056
Planned Dates: End Date 2014-10-10T00:00:00+00:00
Planned Dates: Start Date 2012-10-01T00:00:00+00:00
Recipient Org: Country United Kingdom
Region South West
Sponsor(s) Prof Stafford Lightman