Reducing GABA_A-mediated inhibition improves forelimb motor function after focal cortical stroke in mice.

ABSTRACT: A deeper understanding of post-stroke plasticity is critical to devise more effective pharmacological and rehabilitative treatments. The GABAergic system is one of the key modulators of neuronal plasticity, and plays an important role in the control of "critical periods" during brain development. Here, we report a key role for GABAergic inhibition in functional restoration following ischemia in the adult mouse forelimb motor cortex. After stroke, the majority of cortical sites in peri-infarct areas evoked simultaneous movements of forelimb, hindlimb and tail, consistent with a loss of inhibitory signalling. Accordingly, we found a delayed decrease in several GABAergic markers that accompanied cortical reorganization. To test whether reductions in GABAergic signalling were causally involved

SUBMITTER: Alia C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5126677 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature