Topic: binocular integration

Postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) is an important signalling scaffold of the PSD of excitatory synapses. We have previously shown that PSD-95 dependent silent synapse maturation closes the critical period (CP) for ocular dominance plasticity in mouse V1: PSD-95 KO mice display both functional & structural hallmarks of CP plasticity and synapses cannot properly stabilize. Since the development of binocularity happens during the CP, we hypothesized that PSD-95 KOs should display compromised binocular integration. To test this hypothesis, we performed both behavioural experiments and m

Sharp changes in ambient luminance are known to modulate the size of the pupil, regulating the amount of light that enters the eye and reaches the retina. This process, known as pupillary light reflex (PLR), allows the retina to rapidly adapt to different luminance conditions. While PLR has been widely characterized in terms of its neural underpinnings as well as its clinical and behavioral significance, one simple question is still pending: does PLR directly modulate the output of the retina? To answer this question, we performed in vivo 2-photons calcium imaging in retinal ganglion cells (RG