Description
Investigations involving incisive mechanistic dissection of various types of synaptic plasticity have revealed that it plays key roles in neural development, sensory information processing, cortical remapping following brain injury, perception, and behavioral learning and memory. Disruptions of synaptic plasticity may underlie neurological and behavioral disorders such as Alzheimer disease, Fragile-X syndrome, autism, and drug addiction. Multidisciplinary Tools for Investigating Synaptic Plasticity, therefore, assembles expert contributions that highlight techniques and strategies used in probing the cellular and molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity in the nervous systems of vertebrate and invertebrate species. Divided into three sections, this meticulous volume describes biochemical and genetic strategies for studying synaptic plasticity, behavior, neural development, and synaptogenesis, and also includes cellular electrophysiological and optical methods for interrogating a diverse array of mechanistic issues. As part of the Neuromethods series, this book contains the kind of detail and key implementation advice that maximizes successful results. Authoritative and invaluable, Multidisciplinary Tools for Investigating Synaptic Plasticity serves as an ideal primer for introducing researchers to specific techniques that will enhance their success at addressing novel questions in synaptic plasticity at the lab bench. Part I: Biochemical and Genetic Strategies for Probing Synaptic Plasticity and Behavior 1. Conditional Gene Targeting: A Refined Method for Genetic Studies in Neurosciences Jane Beil, Isabelle M. Mansuy, and Thorsten Buch 2. Sindbis Virus-Mediated In Vivo Expression of Recombinant CREB to Study Gene Function in Neuronal Plasticity and Behavior Hlne Marie 3. Exploring Mechanisms of Synaptic Plasticity Using Exogenous Expression of Proteins at the Sensory-to-Motor Neuron Synapse of Aplysia Daniel B. Weatherill, Tyler W. Dunn, Patrick K. McCamphill, and Wayne S. Sossin 4. Translational Regulation of Synaptic Plasticity Emanuela Santini, Eric Klann, and Charles Hoeffer Part II: Synaptic Development and Neurogenesis 5. Glutamate Receptors and Synaptic Physiology in Developing Neural Circuits Declan W. Ali, Marcus E. Cunningham, and Birbickram Roy 6. Laminar Quantification of Dendrites in Dentate Gyrus Granule Neurons Shira Rosenzweig and J. Martin Wojtowicz Part III: Electrophysiological and Optical Interrogation of Synaptic Physiology in Brain Slices and Dissociated Cell Preparations 7. Electrophysiological and Biochemical Studies of AMPA Receptor Phosphorylation and Synaptic Plasticity in Hippocampal CA1 Mini-Slices Erin E. Gray and Thomas J. O’Dell 8. Electrophysiological and Behavioral Approaches to the Analysis of Synaptic Tagging and Capture Roger Redondo and Richard G.M. Morris 9. Intracellular Loading and Rapid Calcium Imaging in Processes of Hippocampal Astrocytes Aude Panatier and Richard Robitaille 10. Electrophysiological Methods for Investigating Inhibitory Synaptic Plasticity Melanie A. Woodin 11. Converging Methodologies in a Mammalian ‘Simple System’ Focused on the Biology of Memory: Conditioned Odor Preference in the Neonate Rat Qi Yuan, Carolyn W. Harley, and John H. McLean 12. The Sagittally-Sectioned Rat Hindbrain Preparation: Improved Access to the Brainstem Respiratory Network Nicholas M. Mellen and Gregory D. Funk
