Multidisciplinary Tools for Investigating Synaptic Plasticity

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.

Conditional Gene Targeting: A Refined Method for Genetic Studies in Neurosciences.- Sindbis Virus-Mediated In Vivo Expression of Recombinant CREB to Study Gene Function in Neuronal Plasticity and Behavior.- Exploring Mechanisms of Synaptic Plasticity Using Exogenous Expression of Proteins at the Sensory-to-Motor Neuron Synapse of Aplysia.- Translational Regulation of Synaptic Plasticity.- Glutamate Receptors and Synaptic Physiology in Developing Neural Circuits.- Laminar Quantification of Dendrites in Dentate Gyrus Granule Neurons.- Electrophysiological and Biochemical Studies of AMPA Receptor Phosphorylation and Synaptic Plasticity in Hippocampal CA1 Mini-Slices.- Electrophysiological and Behavioral Approaches to the Analysis of Synaptic Tagging and Capture.- Intracellular Loading and Rapid Calcium Imaging in Processes of Hippocampal Astrocytes.- Electrophysiological Methods for Investigating Inhibitory Synaptic Plasticity.- Converging Methodologies in a Mammalian 'Simple System' Focused on the Biology of Memory: Conditioned Odor Preference in the Neonate Rat.- The Sagittally-Sectioned Rat Hindbrain Preparation: Improved Access to the Brainstem Respiratory Network.