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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.
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...
Synaptic Signaling01:12

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.
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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 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 mechanisms for plasticity in neocortex.

Daniel E Feldman1

  • 1Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, USA. dfeldman@berkeley.edu

Annual Review of Neuroscience
|April 30, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Sensory learning reshapes brain circuits through various synaptic and structural changes. These plasticity mechanisms, including long-term potentiation and depression, are common across sensory cortices.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cellular Biology
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Sensory experience and learning induce significant alterations in neural representations within the cerebral cortex.
  • Understanding the synaptic mechanisms driving this sensory cortical plasticity is a key area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and synthesize recent findings on the multifaceted synaptic and cellular mechanisms underlying long-term cortical plasticity.
  • To propose a framework where these mechanisms map onto specific functional components of plasticity across sensory cortices.

Main Methods:

  • This review synthesizes findings from recent research studies.
  • It integrates data on synaptic plasticity, intrinsic excitability, and structural remodeling.
  • The focus is on mechanisms observed in primary somatosensory, visual, and auditory cortices.

Main Results:

  • Long-term cortical plasticity is a complex process involving multiple synaptic and cellular mechanisms.
  • Sensory use, disuse, and training modulate long-term potentiation and depression (LTP and LTD), homeostatic plasticity, and intrinsic excitability.
  • Experience-dependent structural changes include synapse and dendritic spine formation, elimination, and remodeling.

Conclusions:

  • A diverse array of synaptic and cellular mechanisms contribute to long-term cortical plasticity.
  • Both excitatory and inhibitory neural circuits are dynamically regulated by sensory experience.
  • These plasticity mechanisms are conserved across different primary sensory cortical areas.