BDNF regulates the maturation of inhibition and the critical period of plasticity in mouse visual cortex

Maturation of the visual cortex is influenced by visual experience during a n early postnatal period. The factors that regulate such a critical period remain unclear. We examined the maturation and plasticity of the visual cor tex in transgenic mice in which the postnatal rise of brain-derived neurotr ophic factor (BDNF) was accelerated. In these mice, the maturation of GABAe rgic innervation and inhibition was accelerated. Furthermore, the age-depen dent decline of cortical longterm potentiation induced by white matter stim ulation, a form of synaptic plasticity sensitive to cortical inhibition, oc curred earlier. Finally, transgenic mice showed a precocious development of visual acuity and an earlier termination of the critical period for ocular dominance plasticity. We propose that BDNF promotes the maturation of cort ical inhibition during early postnatal life, thereby regulating the critica l period for visual cortical plasticity.