Event:

The range of tools available to study brain structure and function is continually expanding. In the realm of systems neuroanatomy, where researchers work to characterize the connections and architecture of brain areas, the development of new tools has grown rapidly. Incorporating these into our studies of the auditory system permits identification of previously unknown features of its organization. In this talk, I will share findings from recent studies of the mouse auditory cortex (AC) and medial geniculate body (MG) before and after the onset of hearing (postnatal days P7, P14, P21 and adult). Next generation sequencing (RNAseq) of total RNA was used to track changes in gene expression and to guide targeted anatomical assays (in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry) of markers related to neurotransmission and plasticity. These data broaden our knowledge of both global and specific structural changes that accompany the onset of hearing and may contribute to the formation of critical periods during early postnatal development. More generally, these studies demonstrate how a sequencing-driven approach can be used to guide structural profiling of brain regions or selected neuronal populations in any model system.