Topic: activity-related genes

By using our senses, we explore and perceive the world around us. To process diverse sensory cues simultaneously, the brain relies on well-defined and segregated sensory circuits. Yet, the mechanisms underlying circuit specificity are poorly understood. It is accepted, however, that the development of sensory circuits involves intricate interactions between early genetic programs and neuronal activity. Spontaneous activity emerges early in mammalian cortical development, preceding sensory perception and characterized by synchronized patterns of neuronal activity. The precise nature of the inte