Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Associative short-term synaptic plasticity mediated by endocannabinoids.

Stephan D Brenowitz1, Wade G Regehr

  • 1Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

Neuron
|February 8, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Endocannabinoids mediate short-term associative plasticity in the cerebellum. Co-activation of climbing and parallel fibers enhances endocannabinoid-mediated synaptic inhibition, crucial for rapid learning.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Specialized outputs and behavioral contributions of Purkinje cell subtypes.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Climbing fibres recruit disinhibition to enhance Purkinje cell calcium signals.

Nature·2026
Same author

Purkinje Cell Collaterals Preferentially Target a Subtype of Molecular Layer Interneuron.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same author

Structural and functional evidence for ephaptic control of Purkinje cell spike timing by networks of molecular layer interneurons.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Climbing fibers selectively recruit disinhibitory interneurons to enhance dendritic calcium signaling in cerebellar Purkinje cells.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Processing reliant on granule cells is essential for motor learning but dispensable for social preference and numerous other cerebellar-dependent behaviors.

Nature communications·2025

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Synaptic Plasticity
  • Cerebellar Function

Background:

  • Associative learning requires rapid, synapse-specific plasticity, but suitable mechanisms remain elusive.
  • Endocannabinoids are known to mediate retrograde synaptic inhibition in the cerebellum.
  • The role of endocannabinoids in associative, short-term plasticity is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if endocannabinoids can mediate associative, synapse-specific short-term plasticity.
  • To determine the role of climbing fiber (CF) and parallel fiber (PF) co-activation in endocannabinoid signaling.

Main Methods:

  • Electrophysiological recordings in the cerebellum.
  • Stimulation of parallel fibers (PFs) and climbing fibers (CFs) to evoke endocannabinoid release.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Measurement of retrograde synaptic inhibition at PF-Purkinje cell synapses.

    • Main Results:

    • Bursts of PF activity induce endocannabinoid release, causing transient retrograde inhibition of PF synapses.
    • Co-activation of CF and PF synapses significantly enhances endocannabinoid-mediated inhibition of PF synapses.
    • This associative inhibition is time-limited, occurring only when PF activation follows CF activation within milliseconds.

    Conclusions:

    • Endocannabinoids mediate a transient form of associative synaptic plasticity in the cerebellum.
    • This plasticity relies on calcium-dependent endocannabinoid release, modulated by both PF and CF inputs.
    • The findings reveal a novel mechanism for rapid associative learning in the cerebellar circuitry.