• receptive field
• orientation preference
• ocular dominance
• mir 132
• mir 212
• development
• depth perception
• binocular matching
• binocular
• V1

MicroRNA-132/212 (miR-132/212) is an experience and
cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) dependent
MicroRNA (miRNA) that acts in the central nervous
system and in peripheral tissue regulating important
biological processes, such as circadian clock, spine
maturation and neural inflammation. Recently miR-
132/212 has been involved in Ocular Dominance (OD)
plasticity during the critical period in mouse visual
cortex. We have studied OD plasticity and binocular
matching in MicroRNA-132/212 Knockout (miR-132/212
KO) mice, where the genomic locus of miR-132/212 is
completely deleted.
To examine the role of miR-132/212 in visual cortical
function, we analyzed Local Field Potentials (LFP) responses
to pattern Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) and
measured single units activity to drifting sine gratings,
in Wild Type (WT) and miR-132/212 KO mice.
We found that the preferred orientations of individual
cortical cells are mismatched through the two eyes
at a significant higher level in animals that lack of
miR-132/212 and monocularly deprived mice, respect to
aged-matched WT subjects. Furthermore, as seen before,
three days of Monocular Deprivation (MD) were
not sufficient to induce OD shift during the critical period
in miR-132/212 KO mice, assessed using pattern VEP
responses.
These results suggest a possible role of miR-132/212 in
trigger adaptive rewiring of neuronal circuits following
visually driven patterned activity.