Furthermore, the impact of PVL injury may also affect the layer VI corticothalamic projecting pyramidal cells which express vGluT1 and thus down regulate the protein expression in the corticothalamic terminals and further alter the synaptic transmissions and their ultrastructure, the consequence of the impact would be the de-synchronization of the whole circuitry. This evidence concerns the gene SLC17A7 and periventricular leukomalacia.