Immunoperoxidase staining of DGLa in the mouse visual cortex at various postnatal ages
See details in Yoneda, et. al. (2024) iScience.
Taisuke Yoneda, Katsuro Kameyama, Takahiro Gotou, Keiko Terata, Masahiro Takagi, Yumiko Yoshimura, Kenji Sakimura, Masanobu Kano, Yoshio Hata (2024) Layer specific regulation of critical period timing and maturation of mouse visual cortex by endocannabinoids., iScience, Volume 27, Number 6, pp. 110145
Published in 2024 Jun 21 (Electronic publication in May 29, 2024, midnight )
(Abstract) Plasticity during the critical period is important for the functional maturation of cortical neurons. While characteristics of plasticity are diverse among cortical layers, it is unknown whether critical period timing is controlled by a common or unique molecular mechanism among them. We here clarified layer-specific regulation of the critical period timing of ocular dominance plasticity in the primary visual cortex. Mice lacking the endocannabinoid synthesis enzyme diacylglycerol lipase-alpha exhibited precocious critical period timing, earlier maturation of inhibitory synaptic function in layers 2/3 and 4, and impaired development of the binocular matching of orientation selectivity exclusively in layer 2/3. Activation of cannabinoid receptor restored ocular dominance plasticity at the normal critical period in layer 2/3. Suppression of GABA(A) receptor rescued precocious ocular dominance plasticity in layer 4. Therefore, endocannabinoids regulate critical period timing and maturation of visual function partly through the development of inhibitory synaptic functions in a layer-dependent manner.