Experience-dependent expression of miR-132 regulates ocular dominance plasticity

CREB-mediated transcription is known to be important for ocular dominance plasticity (ODP). Expression of the mircoRNA miR-132 is under CREB control, and this study finds that miR-132 directly regulates ODP. miR-132 is a CREB-induced microRNA that is involved in dendritic spine plasticity. We found that visual experience regulated histone post-translational modifications at a CRE locus that is important for miR-212 and miR-132 cluster transcription, and regulated miR-132 expression in the visual cortex of juvenile mice. Monocular deprivation reduced miR-132 expression in the cortex contralateral to the deprived eye. Counteracting this miR-132 reduction with an infusion of chemically modified miR-132 mimic oligonucleotides completely blocked ocular dominance plasticity.