RRC ID 54350
著者 Abe K, Yawo H.
タイトル Quantitative study of the somatosensory sensitization underlying cross-modal plasticity.
ジャーナル PLoS One
Abstract Loss of one sensory modality can cause other types to become more perceptive (cross-modal plasticity). To test the hypothesis that the loss of vision changes the perceptual threshold in the somatosensory system, we applied optogenetics to directly manipulate the afferent inputs involved in the whisker-barrel system using a transgenic rat (W-TChR2V4) that expresses channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) selectively in the large mechanoreceptive neurons in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) and their peripheral nerve terminals. The licking behavior of W-TChR2V4 rat was conditioned to a blue LED light cue on the whisker area while the magnitude and duration of light pulses were varied. The perceptual threshold was thus quantitatively determined for each rat according to the relationship between the magnitude/duration of light and the reaction time between the LED light cue and the first licking event after it. We found that the perceptual threshold was more significantly reduced than the control non-deprived rats when the rats were visually deprived at postnatal 26-30 days (P26-30, early VD group), but not at P58-66 (late VD group). However, the sensory threshold of a late VD animal was similar to that of a control. Our results suggest the presence of cross-modal plasticity by which the loss of vision at the juvenile period increased the sensitivity of the somatosensory system involved in the touch of whiskers.
巻・号 13(12)
ページ e0208089
公開日 2018-12-5
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0208089
PII PONE-D-18-07949
PMID 30517160
PMC PMC6281227
MeSH Animals Conditioning, Psychological Female Grooming / physiology Light Male Mechanoreceptors / cytology Mechanoreceptors / physiology Neuronal Plasticity / physiology* Optogenetics / methods Peripheral Nerves / cytology Peripheral Nerves / physiology Rats Rats, Transgenic Sensory Thresholds / physiology* Somatosensory Cortex / cytology Somatosensory Cortex / physiology* Time Factors Touch / physiology* Trigeminal Ganglion / cytology Trigeminal Ganglion / physiology Vibrissae / cytology Vibrissae / physiology* Vision, Ocular / physiology*
IF 2.74
引用数 1
リソース情報
ラット W-Tg(Thy1-COP4/YFP*)4Jfhy (strainID=1072)