The underdog pathway gets a boost

Synaptic plasticity onto inhibitory neurons as a mechanism for ocular dominance plasticity

Ocular dominance plasticity is a well-documented phenomenon allowing us to study properties of cortical maturation. Understanding this maturation might be an important step towards unravelling how cortical circuits function. However, it is still not fully understood which mechanisms are responsible for the opening and closing of the critical period for ocular dominance and how changes in cortical responsiveness arise after visual deprivation. In this article, we present a theory of ocular dominance plasticity. Following recent experimental work, we propose a framework where a reduction in inhibition is necessary for ocular dominance plasticity in both juvenile and adult animals. In this framework, two ingredients are crucial to observe ocular dominance shifts: a sufficient level of inhibition as well as excitatory-to-inhibitory synaptic plasticity. In our model, the former is responsible for the opening of the critical period, while the latter limits the plasticity in adult animals. Finally, we also provide a possible explanation for the variability in ocular dominance shifts observed in individual neurons and for the counter-intuitive shifts towards the closed eye.

During the development of the brain, visual cortex has a period of increased plasticity. Closing one eye for multiple days during this period can have a profound and life-long impact on neuronal responses. A well-established hypothesis is that the absolute level of inhibition regulates this period. In light of recent experimental results, we suggest an alternative theory. We propose that, in addition to the level of inhibition, synaptic plasticity onto inhibitory neurons is just as crucial. We propose a model which explains many observed phenomena into one single framework. Unlike theories considering only the level of inhibition, we can account for both the onset as well as the closure of this period. Furthermore, we also provide an explanation for the small fraction of neurons that show counter-intuitive behaviour and provide some testable predictions.