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Food restriction enhances visual cortex plasticity in adulthood

Author

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  • Maria Spolidoro

    (Institute of Neuroscience, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Moruzzi 1, I-56100 Pisa, Italy.)

  • Laura Baroncelli

    (Institute of Neuroscience, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Moruzzi 1, I-56100 Pisa, Italy.)

  • Elena Putignano

    (Scuola Normale Superiore, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, I-56100 Pisa, Italy.)

  • José Fernando Maya-Vetencourt

    (Scuola Normale Superiore, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, I-56100 Pisa, Italy.)

  • Alessandro Viegi

    (Scuola Normale Superiore, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, I-56100 Pisa, Italy.)

  • Lamberto Maffei

    (Institute of Neuroscience, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Moruzzi 1, I-56100 Pisa, Italy.)

Abstract

Neural circuits display a heightened sensitivity to external stimuli during well-established windows in early postnatal life. After the end of these critical periods, brain plasticity dramatically wanes. The visual system is one of the paradigmatic models for studying experience-dependent plasticity. Here we show that food restriction can be used as a strategy to restore plasticity in the adult visual cortex of rats. A short period of food restriction in adulthood is able both to reinstate ocular dominance plasticity and promote recovery from amblyopia. These effects are accompanied by a reduction of intracortical inhibition without modulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression or extracellular matrix structure. Our results suggest that food restriction could be investigated as a potential way of modulating plasticity.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Spolidoro & Laura Baroncelli & Elena Putignano & José Fernando Maya-Vetencourt & Alessandro Viegi & Lamberto Maffei, 2011. "Food restriction enhances visual cortex plasticity in adulthood," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 2(1), pages 1-8, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:2:y:2011:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms1323
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1323
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