Npas4 Expression in Two Experimental Models of the Barrel Cortex Plasticity

Figure 1

(a) Scheme of the deprivation procedure. All whiskers on one side of the snout except for row C are removed. After 6 days the same deprivation procedure is applied to the other side of the snout and the mouse is left with both C rows intact. After 24 h the animal explores a stimulatory cage for 30 minutes and is then immediately killed. (b) Scheme of the training procedure. Row B of whiskers on the left side of the snout is stroked (CS). The CS lasts for 9 s. During the last second an electric shock (0.5 mA for 0.5 s, UCS) is delivered and coterminates with the CS. A single training session lasts for 10 minutes and encompasses 40 CS and UCS pairings. The animal is subjected to one session daily for three consecutive days. Following the last training session, the mouse is placed in its home cage for 20 minutes to allow increase in Npas4 expression and is then killed.

(a) Deprivation

(b) Training