A single neuron in the mammalian brain forms thousands of specialized connections with other neurons called synapses. The number, strength, and specificity of these synaptic connections ultimately determine and regulate brain function. Consequently, one of the critical questions in neuro-biology is how synaptic connectivity is established during development and how it is modified during life, The activity of neurons has emerged as an important determinant in shaping neuronal networks. This might be best exemplified in the developing visual system by the activity-dependent segregation of inputs from one eye into specific domains that alternate with domains that receive information from the other eye.
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