A simulation model for compensatory plasticity in the prefrontal cortex inducing a cortico-cortical dysconnection in early brain development

Abstract

In the present work, an abstract prefrontal cortex simulation model is used to predict compensatory structural alterations of the cortico-cortical connectivity pattern in the normal and pathologic forebrain maturation. The simulation network shows different representative courses of morphogenesis when developing undisturbed or when suffering from disturbing excitatory afferences. The simulative results could be affirmed by an immuno-histochemical study, revealing a qualitatively comparable development of the glutamatergic projection fibre density in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) after juvenile and adult methamphetamine intoxication. The simulation model further allows to consider different rearing conditions (enriched-environment model), and claims contradictory effects of an equal disturbance after enriched or impoverished rearing which are in accordance with the experimental findings.