BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk// X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:TODAY! Adrian Seminar - "\;Plasticity of the adult visual cort ex in human"\; - Concetta Morrane\, University of Pisa\, Italy - Conce tta Morrone\, University of Pisa DTSTART:20180122T163000Z DTEND:20180122T180000Z UID:TALK96583@talks.cam.ac.uk CONTACT:Lyn Dakin DESCRIPTION:Plasticity is strong during early post-natal age\, when the co rtical visual circuits are developing. However\, adult vision is also flex ible\, and continuously adapts with experience\, molding cortical circuitr y to optimally analyze incoming information. In this talk I will present e vidence that plastic changes in primary visual cortex are not limited to t he developmental period\, as commonly thought\, but can extend throughout adult life. I will first discuss psychophysical consequences of brief visu al deprivation in both typical adult subjects\, and also in amblyopia\, wh ich is very difficult to treat in adulthood. I will show how plasticity ca n be boosted by moderate levels of physical exercise\, leading to new ther apeutic strategies for amblyopia. I will also discuss possible physiologic al mechanisms underlying adult plasticity. In particular\, 7T spectroscopy and BOLD evidence suggests that this short-term plasticity is accompanied by a decrease of GABAergic inhibition and by a decrease of BOLD selectivi ty for eye of origin and spatial frequency of primary visual cortex. Under standing the residual plastic potential of the adult visual cortex\, and h ow to enhance it\, is potentially important as the progress in retinal pro sthesis technology opens new possibilities for vision restoration in blind people with retinal pathologies\, such as retinitis pigmentosa patients w ith Argus II Retinal Prosthesis. LOCATION:The Hodgkin Huxley Seminar Room\, Department of Physiology Develo pment and Neuroscience END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR