The DOI matches its Crossref record; 53 of the 53 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Decline of the Critical Period of Visual Plasticity Is Concurrent with the Reduction of NR2B Subunit of the Synaptic NMDA Receptor in Layer 4
Open accessAbstract
The specific composition of NMDA receptor subunits is thought to underlie the developmental plasticity of the cortex revealed by unbalanced binocular stimulation. However, evidence that NR2 subunits change in correlation with the critical period at locations that are relevant to visual plasticity has been missing. Using preembedding and postembedding immunostaining, as well as electron microscopy, we quantified the volumetric densities of NR1-, NR2A-, and NR2B-containing synapses in layers 4 and 2/3 of the ferret visual cortex at different postnatal ages. Before eye opening, NR2A is encountered infrequently at postsynaptic sites in layer 4, but it increases sharply by postnatal day 34. In the subsequent weeks, postsynaptic NR2A labeling increases gradually in both layers 4 and 2/3 to become the most prevalent subunit in the adult animal. The NR2B subunit is the more prevalent subunit at the onset of the critical period of cortical plasticity. However, it displays different developmental patterns in layers 4 and 2/3. Although no change occurs in synaptic NR2B density in layer 2/3, in layer 4, NR2B maintains its high levels through the peak of the critical period and then becomes significantly reduced by the end of the peak of the critical period. This low level is maintained throughout adulthood. Our results demonstrate a correlation between the loss of NR2B subunits from layer 4 synaptic sites and the decline of the critical period, suggesting that the presence of NR2B subunits at synaptic sites could be a permissive factor regulating the ocular dominance plasticity of the developing cortex.
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“Together these findings suggest that the switch from NR2B to NR2A dominated receptors terminates the critical period of experience-dependent plasticity for establishment of ocular dominance columns in the visual cortex.”
From A role for synaptic plasticity in the adolescent development of executive function (2013) · cites this paper as [106]
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Items 101–111 of 111
Recent Advances in the Molecular Mechanisms of Ocular Dominance Plasticity in the Visual Cortex
Qin, Y., Wang, W., Gu, Y., & Shi, X. (2025) · Neuroscience Bulletin · doi:10.1007/s12264-025-01448-7 · Cited by 2
Serine Proteases and Neuronal Plasticity in vivo
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PERMEANT ION AND SUBUNIT DEPENDENCE OF EXTERNAL Mg2+ BLOCK OF NMDA RECEPTORS
Qian, A. (2004) · D-Scholarship@Pitt (University of Pittsburgh)
González‐Burgos, G., Fish, K. N., & Lewis, D. A. (2011)
Xiong, W. (2008) · cIRcle (University of British Columbia) · doi:10.14288/1.0066812
A Neuroproteomic Approach to Understanding Visual Cortical Development
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Sensory experience-dependent synaptic modifications in the visual cortex
Yashiro, K. (2019) · Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) · doi:10.17615/02ds-km68
Juvale, P. S., Mudd, D. B., Ramesh, N. S., & Pallas, S. L. (2022) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.1101/2022.10.06.511220
Altérations de la connectivité corticale au cours de périodes critiques du développement
Druart, M. (2020) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/b4f48d73za850z42b2z8dadzfad47d4f0a69
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Metadata
- Authors
- Erisir, A., & Harris, J. L.
- Affiliations
- University of Virginia (US)
- ORCID
- Harris, Janna L.
- Venue
- The Journal of Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Society for Neuroscience
- Published
- 2003-06-15
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 5208-5218
- ISSN
- 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
- 1529-2401
- PMC
- PMC3119651
- OpenAlex
- W1528276351
- Cited by
- 111
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 2.54
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Eye Institute (R01EY012138, R01-EY12138)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Keywords
- critical period, visual plasticity, NMDA receptor subunits, NR2B, NR2A, NR1, synaptic density, layer 4, layer 2/3, visual cortex development, ocular dominance plasticity, binocular stimulation, ferrets, postnatal development, postsynaptic sites
- MeSH terms
- Age Factors, Animals, Critical Period, Psychological, Ferrets, Immunohistochemistry, Microscopy, Electron, Neuronal Plasticity, Synapses, Visual Cortex, Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate, Protein Subunits, Dominance, Ocular
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