Structural underpinnings of functional plasticity in rodent visual cortex.

Functional plasticity in rodent visual cortex has been intensively studied since the pioneering experiments of Hubel and Wiesel in the sixties. Nevertheless, the structural modifications underlying this phenomenon remain elusive. In this article, we will review recent data focused on the dynamic of excitatory and inhibitory synapses and their structural changes linked to functional modifications. We also review novel evidence on structural remodeling that promote functional plasticity and on the role of cytoskeleton modifications in experience-dependent plasticity of rodent visual cortex.