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 Concept Videos

Neuroplasticity01:01

Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity reflects the brain's remarkable capacity to adapt and evolve, responding dynamically to learning, experiences, or injury by reorganizing its neural circuitry. This reorganization involves creating new neural connections and refining old ones through a series of biological processes that contribute to the brain's lifelong development and adaptability.
Long-term Potentiation01:25

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Hebbian LTP
LTP can occur when presynaptic neurons...
Long-term Potentiation01:35

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre- and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Plasticity00:58

Plasticity

Plasticity is the property where an object loses its elasticity and undergoes irreversible deformation, even after the deformation forces are eliminated. If a material deforms irreversibly without increasing stress or load, then this is called ideal plasticity. For example, when a force is applied to an aluminum rod, it changes its shape, but it does not return to its original shape once the force is removed. Plastic deformation or ductility is thus a permanent deformation or change in the...
The Synapse02:47

The Synapse

Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.
Synaptic Signaling01:09

Synaptic Signaling

Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Spatially structured heterogeneity shapes large-scale cortical dynamics in a model of the human cortex.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Magnetoelectric microrobots for spinal cord injury regeneration.

Nature materials·2026
Same author

Decreased kinesiophobia with virtual embodiment for post-surgical knee rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial.

Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research·2026
Same author

Age-stratified associations between severe mental illness, dementia, and ischemic stroke: findings from the PADRIS-PRESTO cohort.

European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology·2026
Same author

Slow wave generation and propagation in a model of brain lesions.

NeuroImage·2026
Same author

Modulation of slow and fast oscillations by direct current stimulation in the cerebral cortex in vitro.

The Journal of physiology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Inducing Long-Term Plasticity of Intrinsic Neuronal Excitability in Neurons of the Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus
05:01

Inducing Long-Term Plasticity of Intrinsic Neuronal Excitability in Neurons of the Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus

Published on: September 20, 2024

Synaptic transmission and plasticity in an active cortical network.

Ramon Reig1, Maria V Sanchez-Vives

  • 1Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernandez-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Spain.

Plos One
|August 2, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Cortical network activity enhances synaptic transmission efficiency. Active states increase synaptic potential amplitude and reduce short-term plasticity, making transmission more secure during brain activity.

More Related Videos

Slice Patch Clamp Technique for Analyzing Learning-Induced Plasticity
11:56

Slice Patch Clamp Technique for Analyzing Learning-Induced Plasticity

Published on: November 11, 2017

3D Modeling of Dendritic Spines with Synaptic Plasticity
07:13

3D Modeling of Dendritic Spines with Synaptic Plasticity

Published on: May 18, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Inducing Long-Term Plasticity of Intrinsic Neuronal Excitability in Neurons of the Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus
05:01

Inducing Long-Term Plasticity of Intrinsic Neuronal Excitability in Neurons of the Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus

Published on: September 20, 2024

Slice Patch Clamp Technique for Analyzing Learning-Induced Plasticity
11:56

Slice Patch Clamp Technique for Analyzing Learning-Induced Plasticity

Published on: November 11, 2017

3D Modeling of Dendritic Spines with Synaptic Plasticity
07:13

3D Modeling of Dendritic Spines with Synaptic Plasticity

Published on: May 18, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Computational Neuroscience

Background:

  • The cerebral cortex exhibits continuous activity during wakefulness and sleep.
  • Cortical networks generate rhythmic activity patterns, alternating between active (up) and silent (down) states.
  • This ongoing activity influences synaptic transmission and short-term plasticity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how network activity impacts short-term synaptic plasticity.
  • To determine variations in synaptic transmission during cortical up versus down states.

Main Methods:

  • Intracellular recordings from the cortex (in vitro and in vivo).
  • Presynaptic activation via electrical or natural stimulation.
  • Analysis of synaptic potentials, including paired-pulse facilitation.

Main Results:

  • Synaptic augmentation was larger and longer-lasting in active versus silent cortical slices.
  • Paired-pulse facilitation was significantly larger at longer intervals in active networks.
  • Synaptic potentials (intracortical and thalamocortical) were larger in up states compared to down states, with reduced paired-pulse facilitation.

Conclusions:

  • Synaptic transmission in active cortical networks is more secure and efficient.
  • Larger synaptic potential amplitudes and diminished short-term plasticity contribute to enhanced transmission during active states.