Researchers discover more about the interactions of the cortex
Untrained observers may perceive the electrical storm as a chaotic frenzy of activity. Neuroscientists know that the millions of neuronal cells are engaged in a tightly choreographed tango, an excitatory-inhibitory dance. How does this balance, which allows normal function to be achieved, come about during development? How does brain activity go out of control in diseases such as epilepsy?
The cerebral cortex is the part of the mind that controls thought, sensory awareness and motor function. A group of Harvard Stem Cell Institute researchers (HSCI), led by Assistant Prof. Paola Arlotta in the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, discovered that excitatory neuronal activity controls the position of inhibitory cells in a critical process for generating a balanced circuitry and a proper cortical reaction.
Professor Takao HENSCH, a Harvard Center for Brain Science collaborator and Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology researcher, had shown previously that maturation of the circuit balance is a trigger for critical brain development periods. Certain inhibitory neurons appear to be particularly susceptible to genetic and environmental factors during early life. This may contribute to mental illnesses such as autism spectrum disorders or schizophrenia.
Source:
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-02-interactions-cortex.html
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