Enhancement of Early Experience Induces Correction of Miswired Neural Circuits

Material below summarizes the article Environmental Enrichment Partially Repairs Subcortical Mapping Errors in Ten-m3 Knock-Out Mice during an Early Critical Period, published on November 25, 2019, in eNeuro and authored by Peta Eggins, James Blok, Justin Petersen, Larissa Savvas, Lara Rogerson-Wood, Hannan Mansuri, Atomu Sawatari, and Catherine A. Leamey.

Highlights

• Miswired projections from the retina to the visual thalamus in mice that lack the axon guidance molecule Ten-m3 were partially corrected by exposure to an enriched environment.

• This effect was only seen if mice were enriched from birth. Enrichment commenced in adolescence or adulthood did not induce any effects, suggesting there is a critical period for the correction of miswired circuits.

• The effect appeared to be due to the pruning of the most topographically inappropriate projections. 

About the Contributors

Peta Eggins

Peta Eggins completed her honors year in the laboratory of CAL. Eggins is currently completing graduate studies in psychology.

James Blok

James Blok completed his honors year in the laboratory of CAL. Blok is currently completing graduate studies in Law.

Lara Rogerson-Wood

Lara Rogerson-Wood is currently completing her PhD in the laboratory of CAL.

Hannan Mansuri

Hannan Mansuri is currently completing her PhD in the laboratory of CAL.

Atomu Sawatari, PhD

Atomu Sawatari completed his PhD at University of California San Diego Salk Institute with Edward Callaway. Sawatari moved to Harvard for a postoc and then moved Down-Under to take up a faculty position at the University of Sydney.

Catherine A Leamey, PhD

Catherine A Leamey completed her PhD at University of New South Wales Australian National University with Richard Mark and Phil Waite before a postdoctoral period with Mriganka Sur at MIT. Leamey returned home and is now an associate professor at the University of Sydney.