Elly
Nedivi,
Ph.D.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
CPG15, A Novel Growth Promoting Molecule Involved in Synaptic Plasticity
The capacity of the central nervous system (CNS) to modify connectivity properties as a result of activity is termed plasticity. Plasticity is not only a prominent feature of CNS development, but in the adult brain underlies learning and memory processes and adaptive reorganization of primary sensory maps. In the cases of both developmental and adult plasticity, there is evidence that synaptic modifications that are brought about by correlated activity may result from activation of gene expression. Dr. Nedivi has previously isolated a large number of candidate plasticity-related genes (CPGs), many of them novel. Dr. Nedivi now intends to use CPGs as molecular tools to dissect mechanisms of activity-dependent plasticity during development and in the adult.
