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

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.
Integration of Synaptic Events01:28

Integration of Synaptic Events

Synaptic integration mainly includes the summation of graded potentials. Graded potentials, regardless of their type, cause subtle alterations in membrane voltage, resulting in either depolarization or hyperpolarization. These incremental changes, when combined or summed, can propel the neuron toward its threshold. Consider, for example, a membrane experiencing a +15 mV shift, causing it to depolarize from -70 mV to -55 mV. In this scenario, graded potentials govern the membrane's ability to...
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
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.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Connectivity Logic of Dendritic Spines in Cortex: Increased Inputs and Ensemble Formation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

What can a neuron compute.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

<i>In vivo</i> RNA targeting in the nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> using exogenous catalytic DNA.

BioTechniques·2026
Same author

Dendro-plexing of Single Input Spikes via Multiple Synaptic Contacts Can Enhance Cortical Neuron Computation and Reduce Axonal Wiring.

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

Spine-neck electrical bottlenecks tune temporal precision and inhibitory gating in cortical pyramidal neurons: A connectomics-based biophysical study.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Enhanced Distal Signaling in Human Hippocampal Neurons despite Lower Intrinsic Excitability.

Research square·2025
Same journal

Emulating the periodic table: A unified list of CNS terms and abbreviations for humans and experimental animals.

Trends in neurosciences·2026
Same journal

From chromatin dynamics to brain disease: Polycomb-Trithorax mechanisms in neurodevelopment.

Trends in neurosciences·2026
Same journal

Striatum regulates the cortex via the basal forebrain cholinergic system: A role for substance P.

Trends in neurosciences·2026
Same journal

A large brain adds new types of neurons: Molecular and functional signatures of spindle neurons in the human neocortex.

Trends in neurosciences·2026
Same journal

Exercise as a regulator of glymphatic function.

Trends in neurosciences·2026
Same journal

The neural basis of laughter.

Trends in neurosciences·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2026

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

3D Modeling of Dendritic Spines with Synaptic Plasticity

Published on: May 18, 2020

Two opposing plasticity mechanisms pulling a single synapse.

Ithai Rabinowitch1, Idan Segev

  • 1Interdisciplinary Center for Neural Computation, Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.

Trends in Neurosciences
|July 8, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Homeostatic synaptic plasticity (HSP) can now be controlled locally at individual synapses, not just globally. This local control, facilitated by dendrites, preserves memory traces and offers surprising benefits to neuronal function.

More Related Videos

Evaluation of Synaptic Multiplicity Using Whole-cell Patch-clamp Electrophysiology
10:52

Evaluation of Synaptic Multiplicity Using Whole-cell Patch-clamp Electrophysiology

Published on: April 23, 2019

Electrophysiological Investigations of Retinogeniculate and Corticogeniculate Synapse Function
09:09

Electrophysiological Investigations of Retinogeniculate and Corticogeniculate Synapse Function

Published on: August 7, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 3, 2026

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

3D Modeling of Dendritic Spines with Synaptic Plasticity

Published on: May 18, 2020

Evaluation of Synaptic Multiplicity Using Whole-cell Patch-clamp Electrophysiology
10:52

Evaluation of Synaptic Multiplicity Using Whole-cell Patch-clamp Electrophysiology

Published on: April 23, 2019

Electrophysiological Investigations of Retinogeniculate and Corticogeniculate Synapse Function
09:09

Electrophysiological Investigations of Retinogeniculate and Corticogeniculate Synapse Function

Published on: August 7, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Computational Neuroscience
  • Synaptic Plasticity

Background:

  • Homeostatic synaptic plasticity (HSP) was traditionally viewed as a global mechanism scaling all synaptic strengths uniformly.
  • This global scaling aimed to stabilize neuronal activity and preserve relative synaptic strengths, crucial for memory (LTP/LTD).
  • Recent findings challenge this view, suggesting HSP can operate locally, modulating individual synapses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the implications of local homeostatic synaptic plasticity (HSP) on synaptic modification.
  • To propose a mechanism resolving the apparent paradox of local HSP erasing synaptic modifications.
  • To explore the potential benefits of local HSP for neuronal function using computational models.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent experimental findings on local homeostatic synaptic plasticity.
  • Theoretical proposal involving dendritic mechanisms to reconcile local HSP with synaptic modification.
  • Computer simulations to demonstrate the functional consequences of local HSP.

Main Results:

  • Experimental evidence supports the operation of local homeostatic synaptic plasticity at individual synapses.
  • Dendritic compartmentalization is proposed as a mechanism allowing local HSP without abolishing synaptic modifications.
  • Simulations demonstrate that local HSP can confer unexpected advantages to neuronal computation and stability.

Conclusions:

  • Local homeostatic synaptic plasticity offers a more nuanced view of synaptic regulation.
  • Dendrites play a critical role in enabling local HSP, preserving memory traces.
  • Local HSP may provide significant benefits for neuronal function, contrary to initial implications.