Functional activity alterations in neuronal networks after physical damage

Abstract

Neuronal plasticity in the perspective of functional networks is a complex process that depends on several factors, specifically the connectivity of the neurons and their intercommunication. To set a controlled framework, here were studied homogeneous neuronal networks grown in vitro and investigated their recovery after delivering physical damage that split the culture in two. Data analysis was focused on the spontaneous neuronal activity, and comparing the state of the network before damage, just after it, and during network recovery. Results show that recovery was fast and favored by the tissue surrounding the damaged area. Also, functional connectivity analysis showed that the network had strong reconfiguration, transiting through different stages until reaching a final steady configuration