Neuropeptide Signaling Networks and Brain Circuit Plasticity

The brain is a remarkable network of circuits dedicated to sensory integration, perception, and response. The computational power of the brain is estimated to dwarf that of most modern supercomputers, but perhaps its most fascinating capability is to structurally refine itself in response to experience. In the language of computers, the brain is loaded with programs that encode when and how to alter its own hardware. This programmed “plasticity” is a critical mechanism by which the brain shapes behavior to adapt to changing environments. The expansive array of molecular commands that help execute this programming is beginning to emerge. Notably, several neuropeptide transmitters, previously best characterized for their roles in hypothalamic endocrine regulation, have increasingly been recognized for mediating activity-dependent refinement of local brain circuits. Here, we discuss recent discoveries that reveal how local signaling by corticotropin-releasing hormone reshapes mouse olfactory bulb circuits in response to activity and further explore how other local neuropeptide networks may function toward similar ends.