Abstract
Environmental enrichment potentiates neural plasticity, enhancing acquisition and consolidation of memory traces. In the sensory cortices, after cortical circuit maturation and sensory function acquisition are completed, neural plasticity declines and the critical period 'closes'. In the visual cortex, this process can be prevented by dark-rearing, and here we show that environmental enrichment can promote physiological maturation and consolidation of visual cortical connections in dark-reared rats, leading to critical period closure.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Biomarkers
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Cell Differentiation / physiology
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Critical Period, Psychological
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Dark Adaptation / physiology*
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Environment, Controlled*
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Glutamate Decarboxylase / metabolism
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Isoenzymes / metabolism
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Neural Inhibition / physiology
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Neural Pathways / cytology
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Neural Pathways / growth & development*
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Neuronal Plasticity / physiology*
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Photic Stimulation
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Rats
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Sensory Deprivation / physiology*
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Visual Cortex / cytology
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Visual Cortex / growth & development*
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Visual Perception / physiology
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gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / biosynthesis
Substances
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Biomarkers
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Isoenzymes
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gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
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Glutamate Decarboxylase
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glutamate decarboxylase 2