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  4. Enhanced long-term microcircuit plasticity in the valproic Acid animal model of autism
 
research article

Enhanced long-term microcircuit plasticity in the valproic Acid animal model of autism

Silva, Guilherme Testa
•
Le Bé, Jean-Vincent  
•
Riachi, Imad
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2009
Frontiers in synaptic neuroscience

A single intra-peritoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) on embryonic day (ED) 11.5 to pregnant rats has been shown to produce severe autistic-like symptoms in the offspring. Previous studies showed that the microcircuitry is hyperreactive due to hyperconnectivity of glutamatergic synapses and hyperplastic due to over-expression of NMDA receptors. These changes were restricted to the dimensions of a minicolumn (<50 μm). In the present study, we explored whether Long Term Microcircuit Plasticity (LTMP) was altered in this animal model. We performed multi-neuron patch-clamp recordings on clusters of layer 5 pyramidal cells in somatosensory cortex brain slices (PN 12-15), mapped the connectivity and characterized the synaptic properties for connected neurons. Pipettes were then withdrawn and the slice was perfused with 100 μM sodium glutamate in artificial cerebrospinal fluid in the recording chamber for 12 h. When we re-patched the same cluster of neurons, we found enhanced LTMP only at inter-somatic distances beyond minicolumnar dimensions. These data suggest that hyperconnectivity is already near its peak within the dimensions of the minicolumn in the treated animals and that LTMP, which is normally restricted to within a minicolumn, spills over to drive hyperconnectivity across the dimensions of a minicolumn. This study provides further evidence to support the notion that the neocortex is highly plastic in response to new experiences in this animal model of autism.

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Type
research article
DOI
10.3389/neuro.19.001.2009
PubMed ID

21423407

Author(s)
Silva, Guilherme Testa
Le Bé, Jean-Vincent  
Riachi, Imad
Rinaldi, Tania  
Markram, Kamila  
Markram, Henry  
Date Issued

2009

Published in
Frontiers in synaptic neuroscience
Volume

1

Start page

1

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
LNMC  
Available on Infoscience
January 28, 2013
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/88280
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