Oxidative stress and synaptic plasticity in primary visual cortex

• Grant number: 11/23874-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2012
• End date: May 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Roberto De Pasquale
• Grantee: Roberto De Pasquale
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 16/09116-0 - Evaluation of TREK-1 physiological role in neural stress modulation, BP.DR; 12/07522-0 - Oxidative stress and synaptic plasticity in primary visual cortex, BP.JP

Abstract

Oxidative stress produced by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) is thought to underlie the age-related cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative disorders. High levels of (ROS) production have negative effects on synaptic plasticity. Synaptic plasticity is a property of synapses of the neuronal circuitry, which is fundamental for the storage and the information processing involved in cognitive functions. The primary visual cortex is a model particularly suited for the study of the age-dependent phenomena of synaptic plasticity. In the visual cortex, the possibility of plastic changes is relatively high in early life, during a critical period of maturation of the circuitry, while rapidly decreases in adulthood. This profile of age-dependent plasticity is strictly related to the experience mediated maturation of the functional properties of the visual cortex. The present study proposes to use mutant animals having lower levels of ROS production, in order to investigate the relationship between synaptic plasticity and oxidative stress in the primary visual cortex. The purpose is to provide a deeper insight of the cellular and physiological mechanisms underlying the age-related cognitive impairments and diseases. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

FRANCIS-OLIVEIRA, J.; SHIEH, I. C.; VILAR HIGA, G. S.; BARBOSA, M. A.; DE PASQUALE, R.. Maternal separation induces changes in TREK-1 and 5HT(1A) expression in brain areas involved in the stress response in a sex-dependent way. Behavioural Brain Research, v. 396, JAN 1 2021. (16/09116-0, 11/23874-0)

FRANCIS-OLIVEIRA, JOSE; VILAR HIGA, GUILHERME S.; MUNHOZ DATI, LIVIA MENDONCA; SHIEH, IANE CARVALHO; DE PASQUALE, ROBERTO. Metaplasticity in the Visual Cortex: Crosstalk Between Visual Experience and Reactive Oxygen Species. JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, v. 38, n. 25, p. 5649-5665, JUN 20 2018. (11/23874-0, 12/07522-0)

DE PASQUALE, ROBERTO; BECKHAUSER, THIAGO F.; HERNANDES, MARINA SORRENTINO; GIORGETTI BRITTO, LUIZ R.. LTP and LTD in the Visual Cortex Require the Activation of NOX2. JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, v. 34, n. 38, p. 12778-12787, SEP 17 2014. (11/23874-0, 12/07522-0)