TY - JOUR
T1 - The antidepressant fluoxetine restores plasticity in the adult visual cortex
AU - Vetencourt, José Fernando Maya
AU - Sale, Alessandro
AU - Viegi, Alessandro
AU - Baroncelli, Laura
AU - De Pasquale, Roberto
AU - O'Leary, Olivia F.
AU - Castrén, Eero
AU - Maffei, Lamberto
PY - 2008/4/18
Y1 - 2008/4/18
N2 - We investigated whether fluoxetine, a widely prescribed medication for treatment of depression, restores neuronal plasticity in the adult visual system of the rat. We found that chronic administration of fluoxetine reinstates ocular dominance plasticity in adulthood and promotes the recovery of visual functions in adult amblyopic animals, as tested electrophysiologically and behaviorally. These effects were accompanied by reduced intracortical inhibition and increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the visual cortex. Cortical administration of diazepam prevented the effects induced by fluoxetine, indicating that the reduction of intracortical inhibition promotes visual cortical plasticity in the adult. Our results suggest a potential clinical application for fluoxetine in amblyopia as well as new mechanisms for the therapeutic effects of antidepressants and for the pathophysiology of mood disorders.
AB - We investigated whether fluoxetine, a widely prescribed medication for treatment of depression, restores neuronal plasticity in the adult visual system of the rat. We found that chronic administration of fluoxetine reinstates ocular dominance plasticity in adulthood and promotes the recovery of visual functions in adult amblyopic animals, as tested electrophysiologically and behaviorally. These effects were accompanied by reduced intracortical inhibition and increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the visual cortex. Cortical administration of diazepam prevented the effects induced by fluoxetine, indicating that the reduction of intracortical inhibition promotes visual cortical plasticity in the adult. Our results suggest a potential clinical application for fluoxetine in amblyopia as well as new mechanisms for the therapeutic effects of antidepressants and for the pathophysiology of mood disorders.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/42349094651
U2 - 10.1126/science.1150516
DO - 10.1126/science.1150516
M3 - Article
C2 - 18420937
AN - SCOPUS:42349094651
SN - 0036-8075
VL - 320
SP - 385
EP - 388
JO - Science
JF - Science
IS - 5874
ER -