A cortico-thalamic 'booster' circuit amplifies and conditions weak sensory inputs to the fet
The study published today in the journal eLIFE describes a unique specialization of the fetal brain for ensuring reliable transmission of early activity, despite weak connectivity. Read the original article here, Insight review by John Huguenard's group at Stanford here, and the GWU press release here. This excitatory feedback circuit accounts for over 80% of the signal that reaches cortex. These results, using infant rats as a model for fetal brain development, provide clues for understanding pediatric neurological disorders.
