How inhibitory connections are modified and their role in critical periods
Neuroscientists have long been fascinated by the ability of the nervous system to learn from experience.  Research about experience-dependent changes in neural circuits has almost exclusively been on the excitatory connections between neurons, however.  Recently, Dr. Sarah Pallas (chair of the symposium at the Society for Neuroscience meeting), and the few researchers working on how inhibitory connections are modified came together in Atlanta and in the pages of the Journal of Neuroscience to discuss their work and to brainstorm about possible mechanisms underlying the modification of synapses whose job it is to suppress the activity of their partners. Excitatory plasticity works through promoting calcium, which is a positively charged ion, to enter neurons. Inhibition would prevent calcium flux, so it is a mystery how this could work.  Several possible mechanisms have recently come to light. Inhibitory connections could be turned down in strength simply because of their suppressive style.  In contrast, it is now known that many “inhibitory” neurons are actually excitatory early in life, and thus they could go through plastic changes in the same way as neurons that are excitatory throughout life.  Another recent finding is that some inhibitory neurons co-release excitatory transmitters when they are activated. The review addressed several mechanisms underlying plasticity at inhibitory synapses in sensory and motor systems, and the role of inhibition in critical periods, recovery from brain trauma, and compensation for sensory deprivation. J Neurosci. 2006 Oct 11;26(41):10358-61.

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