Adolescent oligodendrogenesis and myelination restrict experience-dependent neuronal plasticity in adult visual cortex.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Developmental myelination is a protracted process in the mammalian brain. One theory for why oligodendrocytes mature so slowly posits that myelination may stabilize neuronal circuits and temper neuronal plasticity as animals age. We tested this hypothesis in the visual cortex, which has a well-defined critical period for experience-dependent neuronal plasticity.

Objectives/methods

To prevent myelin progression, we conditionally deleted Myrf, a transcription factor necessary for oligodendrocyte maturation, from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (Myrf cKO) in adolescent mice. To induce experience-dependent plasticity, adult control and Myrf cKO mice were monocularly deprived by eyelid suture. Functional and structural neuronal plasticity in the visual cortex were asse

SUBMITTER: Xin W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10557765 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature