The importance of the postsynaptic signaling scaffolds PSD-95 and PSD-93 for vision and visual plasticity (B05)

• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells ; Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology
• Term: from 2011 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 154113120

The postsynaptic proteins PSD-95 and -93 have opposing functions for experience-dependent optimization of visual cortical circuits: While PSD-95 is necessary for maturation of silent synapses and closure of the critical period for ocular dominance plasticity, PSD-93 prevents precocious synaptic maturation. Orientation discrimination was impaired in both KO mice and binocular matching of neuronal responses was impaired in PSD-95 KOs. To clarify the cellular changes underlying these deficits, we will analyze binocular integration and record from single neurons while mice learn an orientation discrimination task, and study the role of PSD-95 for recovery from amblyopia.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 889: Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing
• Applicant Institution: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
• Project Head: Professorin Dr. Siegrid Löwel