Correcting navigation deficits in the adult by targeting inhibitory gating in central vestibular circuits

摘要

Correcting navigation deficits in the adult by targeting inhibitory gating in central vestibular circuits Activity-dependent plasticity underlies postnatal refinement of sensorimotor circuits for maturation of the relevant functions. Using the central vestibular circuits that inform spatial cognition as a model, we show that early regulation of plasticity in GABAergic transmission is crucial for timely consolidation of such circuits and the consequent emergence of vestibular-related navigation. Neu- romodulators such as 5-HT and endocannabinoids were shown to participate in the regulation of plasticity of GABAergic transmis- sion. Probing the connectivity of inhibitory networks in vestibular nucleus with optogenetics revealed the role of inhibitory circuits in gating signal output from the vestibular nuclei to higher centres for spatial cognition.