Award
National Eye Institute 5R01EY035127-03
Experience-dependent plasticity of circuit dynamics
Recipient
Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
Award Amount
$529,914.00
Ceiling
$529,914.00
Awarded
December 16, 2025
Identifier
5R01EY035127-03
This award funds research on a novel form of adult plasticity in the mouse visual cortex, focusing on somatostatin-expressing interneurons and their role in experience-dependent plasticity, with potential therapeutic implications for neural deficits like amblyopia.
Description
Induction of plasticity as a therapeutic avenue for neural deficits due to early perturbation, such as amblyopia. The project examines a novel form of adult plasticity in the visual cortex, focusing on interneurons expressing somatostatin (SST-INs) and their role in experience-dependent plasticity in mouse visual cortex. Preliminary data suggest that varied visual stimuli induce plasticity, enhancing activity in SST-INs and altering excitatory neuron sensitivity. The study will utilize 2-photon imaging, optogenetics, and ex vivo physiology to determine the mechanisms and functional consequences of this plasticity.