Science · 1992 · 416 citations · 15 references
Life SciencesNeurobiologyNeuroscienceDevelopmental NeuroscienceNeuroplasticitySynaptic PlasticityActivity-dependent PlasticityHebbian PlasticityHippocampal DevelopmentLong-term PotentiationSynaptic Strength RegulationSynaptic TransmissionActivity-dependent Synaptic ChangeActivity-dependent Synaptic ModificationCa1 FunctionHippocampal Long-term PotentiationLong-term Synaptic PlasticityNeural Development ModelsNmda Receptor SignalingSynaptic Plasticity Models
Long‑term potentiation (LTP) is a key model of synaptic plasticity linked to Hebbian learning and memory, yet physiological evidence for mechanisms that constrain synaptic weight changes remains sparse. In CA1 hippocampus, the LTP induction threshold is transiently modulated by recent synaptic activity through postsynaptic NMDA receptors, allowing temporary inhibition of LTP.
Long-term potentiation (LTP) is an extensively studied model of synaptic plasticity, in part because it is a plausible biological correlate for the Hebbian synaptic modification that forms the basis for theoretical models of neural development, learning, and memory. Although these models must incorporate algorithms that constrain synaptic weight changes, physiological evidence for such mechanisms is limited. Examination of LTP in area CA1 of the hippocampus revealed that the threshold for LTP induction was not fixed but could be strongly influenced by the recent history of synaptic activity. This effect was transient, synapse-specific, and dependent on postsynaptic N -methyl -D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation. These results suggest that the threshold for LTP induction may be continually adjusted according to the recent history of NMDA receptor activation and provide a physiological mechanism by which LTP can be transiently inhibited.
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Postsynaptic Calcium Is Sufficient for Potentiation of Hippocampal Synaptic Transmission
Robert C. Malenka, Julie A. Kauer, Robert S. Zucker et al. · Science · 1988 · 833 citations