Morishita Hirofumi, Hensch Takao K
Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2008 Feb;18(1):101-7. doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2008.05.009. Epub 2008 Jun 3.
Neural circuits are shaped by experience in early postnatal life. The permanent loss of visual acuity (amblyopia) and anatomical remodeling within primary visual cortex following monocular deprivation is a classic example of critical period development from mouse to man. Recent work in rodents reveals a residual subthreshold potentiation of open eye response throughout life. Resetting excitatory-inhibitory balance or removing molecular 'brakes' on structural plasticity may unmask the potential for recovery of function in adulthood. Novel pharmacological or environmental interventions now hold great therapeutic promise based on a deeper understanding of critical period mechanisms.
神经回路在出生后的早期生活中由经验塑造。单眼剥夺后，视敏度的永久性丧失（弱视）以及初级视觉皮层内的解剖重塑是从小鼠到人类关键期发育的一个经典例子。近期在啮齿动物中的研究揭示了一生中睁眼反应存在残余的阈下增强。重置兴奋性 - 抑制性平衡或去除结构可塑性上的分子“刹车”可能会揭示成年后功能恢复的潜力。基于对关键期机制更深入的理解，新型药物或环境干预现在具有巨大的治疗前景。
