Perineuronal Nets in the Superior Olivary Complex
This chapter addresses perineuronal nets in the superior olivary complex, a collection of nuclei in the auditory brainstem that are involved in the processing of sound source location. Perineuronal nets, a specific form of extracellular matrix, are believed to control synaptic plasticity. They surround neuronal somata and dendrites of specific types of neurons, among which are many neurons of the superior olivary complex. The chapter describes the distribution of perineuronal nets in the superior olivary complex, focusing on controversial results and discussing underlying reasons. In addition, it considers the development of perineuronal nets and highlights differences between the main components of perineuronal nets, including the proteoglycans aggrecan, brevican, and neurocan. Finally, it introduces current concepts on the function of perineuronal nets that are specifically based on experimental data collected in the superior olivary complex and point to a contribution of perineuronal nets to synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability.