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Maturation of frontal-subcortical cognitive loops in relation to early synchronized neuronal activity: mechanisms and relevance for perinatal ischemia

Subject Area Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
Term from 2008 to 2016
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 79379867
 
Final Report Year 2018

Final Report Abstract

Cognitive performance relies on the entrainment of neuronal networks in oscillatory patterns of electrical activity. They ensure the spatiotemporal orchestration of neuronal activity and enable information transfer and storage, as exemplified in the case of functional interplay between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Coupling of the neuronal networks in oscillatory rhythms is not a hallmark of the adult brain but rather emerges early during development. However, the contribution of coordinated activity for the maturation of neuronal networks accounting for cognitive processing remains largely unknown. The Emmy Noether-funded project elucidated the mechanisms controlling the development of structural and functional coupling within prefrontal-hippocampal networks of rodents from birth until juvenile stage of development. In particular, the cellular interactions accounting for emergence of long-range communication in the immature brain were dissected in detail. Moreover, the impaired maturation of functional communication within hippocampal-prefrontal networks, was characterized as a possible mechanism underlying the pathophysiology of cognitive deficits in neurological disorders, such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The knowledge gain from the funded project opens new perspectives for a better understanding of brain ontogeny in health and disease as well as for development of tailored therapies for neurodevelopmental disorders.

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