The lecture will describe  the search for cellular mechanisms of learning-dependent plasticity  of the barrel cortex, evoked by classical conditioning in which stimulation of vibrissae was used as conditioned stimulus and tail shock as unconditioned stimulus. Plastic modification of the barrel cortex activation pattern following fear learning was revealed by 2-deoxyglucose autoradiography, showing expanded cortical representation of vibrissae to which conditioned stimulus was applied. This plastic change was NMDA receptor‑dependent, and modified inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmission within the barrels. Changes in electrophysiological properties of neurons were observed, together with rapid inhibitory synaptogenesis. Activity dependent alterations were found in the ultrastructure of both inhibitory and excitatory synapses. The role of GABAergic transmission in learning-dependent plasticity of the barrel cortex will be discussed

IPHYS Contact Person: Martin Zápotocký (martin.zapotocky@fgu.cas.cz).