QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

The Journal of Neuroscience, December 17, 2008, 28(51):13995-13999; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4645-08.2008

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Nakashima, A. S. Articles by Dyck, R. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nakashima, A. S. Articles by Dyck, R. H.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Brief Communications
Enhanced Plasticity in Zincergic, Cortical Circuits after Exposure to Enriched Environments

Amy S. Nakashima^1,2 and Richard H. Dyck^1,2,3

¹Department of Psychology, ²Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and ³Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Richard H. Dyck, Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4. Email: rdyck{at}ucalgary.ca

Despite the plethora of reports that demonstrate plasticity in the mammalian cerebral cortex, the characterization of the cellular mechanisms that mediate it is sparse. Here, we show that the magnitude of the experience-dependent regulation of vesicular zinc is significantly increased through enriched-environment housing. Mice were reared either in a deprived environment and subsequently housed in deprived, minimally enriched, or enriched conditions after the removal of the c-row of vibrissae or reared in an enriched environment before and after vibrissae removal. Levels of vesicular zinc were assessed in deprived and nondeprived barrels 6 h to 14 d after vibrissae removal. We found that housing in enriched environmental conditions resulted in a greater change in vesicular zinc levels than did other housing conditions; however, this effect was dependent on both the magnitude and duration of enrichment. Our data indicate that enriched-environment housing has profound effects on the regulation of vesicular zinc that occurs concurrently with experience-dependent plasticity, suggesting a role for zinc in the multitude of cortical modifications associated with enriched environments.

Key words: zinc; barrel cortex; cortical plasticity; enrichment; somatosensory cortex; synaptic plasticity

---

Received Sept. 28, 2008; revised Oct. 28, 2008; accepted Nov. 14, 2008.

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Richard H. Dyck, Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4. Email: rdyck{at}ucalgary.ca

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help