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Developmental changes in propagation patterns and transmitter dependence of waves of spontaneous activity in the mouse cerebral cortex
Author(s) -
Conhaim Jay,
Easton Curtis R.,
Becker Matthew I.,
Barahimi Mitra,
Cedarbaum Emily R.,
Moore Jennifer G.,
Mather Luke F.,
Dabagh Sarah,
Minter Daniel J.,
Moen Samantha P.,
Moody William J.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2010.202382
Subject(s) - neuroscience , cerebral cortex , cortex (anatomy) , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , biology , ampa receptor , glutamate receptor , receptor , biochemistry
Non‐technical summary It is not well understood how all of the connections among neurons required for the brain to process information are established during development. It has recently become apparent that waves of spontaneous electrical activity spread across large groups of neurons during early brain development and that these waves of activity are crucial for correct development of brain circuitry. In this paper, we show that waves of spontaneous electrical activity propagate across the mouse cerebral cortex, beginning on the day before birth and continuing through the first 12 postnatal days. These waves are initiated at specific locations in the cortex, which do not change during the period of wave generation. Identity of the neurons that initiate the waves, however, does change during this time. This work indicates that even though spontaneous electrical activity occurs during a short contiguous period of development, the mechanisms underlying that activity change.