Structural dynamics and synaptic development in the visual system

This thesis takes as its subject three model systems which exhibit interesting properties in the developing nervous system. The first study details the developmental properties of dendritic spines, the principle sites of excitatory synaptic contacts, during a period of synaptogenesis in the developing mouse cortex. The second study extends these findings and examines the properties of dendritic spines during a period of heightened visual cortical plasticity and describes how manipulations of visual input alter these dendritic structures. The third and final study examines the distribution of glutamate receptors, which are key components of excitatory synaptic contacts, during a period of stereotyped anatomical plasticity in the developing ferret lateral geniculate nucleus. Each of these studies focus specifically on the interactions between neuronal structure and function, principally at the level of synaptic contacts. The conclusions of this thesis are that structure and function are intimately related and that altering one has important consequences for the other.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2004

Author dc:creator

• Oray, Serkan, 1974-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Mriganka Sur.

• Brain and Cognitive Sciences.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/16637

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/16637