Columnar distribution of serotonin-dependent plasticity within kitten striate cortex.

Recent studies have identified the potential for an important role for serotonin (5-HT) receptors in the developmental plasticity of the kitten visual cortex. 5-HT(2C) receptors are transiently expressed in a patchy fashion in the visual cortex of kittens between 30-80 days of age complementary to patches demarcated by cytochrome oxidase staining. 5-HT, operating via 5-HT(2C) receptors, increases cortical synaptic plasticity as assessed both in brain slices and in vivo. Herein, we report that bath application of 5-HT substantially increases the probability of long-term potentiation within 5-HT(2C) receptor-rich zones of cortex, but this effect is not observed in the 5-HT(2C) receptor-poor zones. Instead, in these zones, 5-HT application increases the probability of long-term depression. These location-specific effects of 5-HT may promote the formation of compartment-specific cortical responses.