Experience-dependent Selection of Purkinje Cell Targets

Abstract

Neuroplasticity refers to the formation of new neuronal connections and the reorganization of existing ones based on experiences and environmental demands. While plasticity in the visual cortex is well studied, its role in the cerebellum remains unclear. Our study investigates how sensory experience influences Purkinje cell target selection in the cerebellum, a key brain region responsible for motor coordination and learning. Purkinje cells, which generate cerebellar output, selectively innervate targets, but its dependence on sensory experience was previously unclear. Using larval zebrafish, an ideal model due to their transparent exterior and ease of genetic manipulability, we examined how developmental conditions influence Purkinje cell innervation. We chemogenetically activated Purkinje cells and exposed zebrafish to either constant flow or a static water environment early during development. Light sheet microscopy and image analysis revealed that both flow exposure and Purkinje cell activation promoted preferential innervation of a putative brainstem flow center at the expense of other targets. Furthermore, we identified a developmental critical period during which sensory experience strongly influences Purkinje cell target selection. This research provides novel insights into experience-dependent plasticity in the cerebellum and may inform predictions about behavioral and neuronal outcomes based on the timing of developmental disruptions.