Benjamin Rakela

GABAergic signaling by VIP interneurons gates running-dependent visual recovery in the adult brain

The paper shows that GABAergic signaling from VIP interneurons is essential for visual recovery after monocular deprivation in adult mice, while peptidergic signaling is not.

Integration of Transplanted Interneurons Over a New Period of Ocular Dominance Plasticity in Adult Mouse Visual Cortex

This study shows that transplanting MGE-derived interneurons into adult mouse visual cortex induces ocular dominance plasticity, with activity and response tuning influenced by host locomotor state.

The Clustered Gamma Protocadherin Pcdhγc4 Isoform Regulates Cortical Interneuron Programmed Cell Death in the Mouse Cortex.

The paper shows that deletion of the Pcdhγc4 isoform increases cortical interneuron cell death, while viral expression rescues it, highlighting its critical role in regulating survival during programmed cell death.

Clustered γ-Protocadherins Regulate Cortical Interneuron Programmed Cell Death.

This study identifies Pcdh-γ cluster genes as critical regulators of programmed cell death in cortical interneurons through cell-autonomous and non-cell autonomous mechanisms.

Transplanted cells are essential for the induction but not the expression of cortical plasticity

The paper shows that transplanted inhibitory neurons induce but do not maintain ocular dominance plasticity in the host visual cortex.