Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Long-term Potentiation

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 Potentiation

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 Events

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...

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein

Antiepileptic drugs, such as levetiracetam (Keppra) and brivaracetam (Briviact), have emerged as crucial tools in managing epilepsy. These medications exert their therapeutic effects by targeting the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, a transmembrane glycoprotein primarily found in the brain.
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...

Long-term Depression

Long-term Depression

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

Long-term Depression

Long-term Depression

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

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Partners in plasticity: serotonergic glial interactions in brain circuit remodeling.

Frontiers in neuroscience·2026

Same author

Elevated serotonin receptor 2A signaling restores learning and memory in a Fragile X syndrome model.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Glia-to-glia serotonin signaling directs MMP-dependent infiltration for experience-dependent synapse pruning.

PLoS biology·2025

Same author

Interaction between neuromuscular junction metabolic requirements in fragile X syndrome and glycogen storage disease models.

Disease models & mechanisms·2025

Same author

Neuron-to-glia signaling drives critical period experience-dependent synapse pruning.

Scientific reports·2025

Same author

PKA restricts ERK signaling in learning and memory Kenyon cell neurons.

Cellular signalling·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Induction of an Isoelectric Brain State to Investigate the Impact of Endogenous Synaptic Activity on Neuronal Excitability In Vivo

Induction of an Isoelectric Brain State to Investigate the Impact of Endogenous Synaptic Activity on Neuronal Excitability In Vivo

Published on: March 31, 2016

Activity-dependent modulation of neural circuit synaptic connectivity.

Charles R Tessier¹, Kendal Broadie

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN, USA.

Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience

|August 12, 2009

Summary

In Drosophila, activity-dependent mechanisms refine neural circuits during development, challenging the idea of hard-wired invertebrate systems. This research utilizes new tools to study synaptic connectivity, relevant to human neurological disorders.

Keywords:

Drosophila FMRP development fragile X syndrome neurotransmission pruning synapse

More Related Videos

Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings

Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings

Published on: January 10, 2015

Acquisition of a High-precision Skilled Forelimb Reaching Task in Rats

Acquisition of a High-precision Skilled Forelimb Reaching Task in Rats

Published on: June 22, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Induction of an Isoelectric Brain State to Investigate the Impact of Endogenous Synaptic Activity on Neuronal Excitability In Vivo

Induction of an Isoelectric Brain State to Investigate the Impact of Endogenous Synaptic Activity on Neuronal Excitability In Vivo

Published on: March 31, 2016

Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings

Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings

Published on: January 10, 2015

Acquisition of a High-precision Skilled Forelimb Reaching Task in Rats

Acquisition of a High-precision Skilled Forelimb Reaching Task in Rats

Published on: June 22, 2015

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Biology
Genetics

Background:

Neural circuit formation typically involves activity-independent wiring followed by activity-dependent pruning.
Invertebrate circuits were long thought to be exclusively hard-wired, lacking activity-dependent refinement.
Recent advances in Drosophila offer new insights into invertebrate neural development.

Purpose of the Study:

To review current understanding of activity-dependent synaptic connectivity in Drosophila.
To investigate the role of the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) in a Drosophila model of Fragile X syndrome (FXS).
To highlight novel genetic tools for dissecting cellular events in circuit refinement.

Main Methods:

Utilizing advanced transgenic tools in Drosophila for precise temporal control and single-neuron imaging.
Analyzing the function of FMRP in the context of FXS disease models.
Reviewing recent studies on synaptic refinement mechanisms.

Main Results:

Activity-dependent mechanisms are essential for refining neural circuit maps in Drosophila during specific developmental periods.
Evidence suggests invertebrate circuits are not purely hard-wired.
New genetic tools enable high-resolution dissection of molecular players and cellular events.

Conclusions:

Activity-dependent synaptic refinement occurs in Drosophila, challenging previous assumptions about invertebrate neural development.
Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for insights into human neurological diseases like FXS and autism.
Advanced genetic tools are revolutionizing the study of synaptic plasticity and circuit development.