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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.
Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)01:32

Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)

Postsynaptic potential (PSP) refers to a change in the electrical potential of a neuron when neurotransmitters released by presynaptic neurons bind to postsynaptic receptors. This potential can either be excitatory, leading to depolarization and ultimately action potential generation, or inhibitory, leading to hyperpolarization and suppression of the postsynaptic neuron.
There are two types of receptors: ionotropic and metabotropic.
The ionotropic receptor is the membrane protein that has an...
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...
Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters01:29

Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters

When an action potential reaches the presynaptic axon terminal, it releases neurotransmitters from the neuron into the synaptic cleft at a chemical synapse. The released neurotransmitter can be excitatory or inhibitory. The critical criteria commonly used to determine whether a molecule is a neurotransmitter at a chemical synapse are the molecule's presence in the presynaptic neuron. Second, its release is in response to strong presynaptic depolarization. And lastly, the presence of specific...
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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Recording Synaptic Plasticity in Acute Hippocampal Slices Maintained in a Small-volume Recycling-, Perfusion-, and Submersion-type Chamber System
09:51

Recording Synaptic Plasticity in Acute Hippocampal Slices Maintained in a Small-volume Recycling-, Perfusion-, and Submersion-type Chamber System

Published on: January 1, 2018

Non-Hebbian synaptic plasticity induced by repetitive postsynaptic action potentials.

Hiroyuki K Kato1, Ayako M Watabe, Toshiya Manabe

  • 1Division of Neuronal Network, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|September 11, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Researchers discovered a new form of long-term potentiation (LTP) in mouse brains, induced by postsynaptic depolarization alone. This neuron-wide plasticity, independent of presynaptic input, may play a key role in memory formation.

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Improved Preparation and Preservation of Hippocampal Mouse Slices for a Very Stable and Reproducible Recording of Long-term Potentiation
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Improved Preparation and Preservation of Hippocampal Mouse Slices for a Very Stable and Reproducible Recording of Long-term Potentiation

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Long-term Potentiation of Perforant Pathway-dentate Gyrus Synapse in Freely Behaving Mice
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Long-term Potentiation of Perforant Pathway-dentate Gyrus Synapse in Freely Behaving Mice

Published on: November 29, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Recording Synaptic Plasticity in Acute Hippocampal Slices Maintained in a Small-volume Recycling-, Perfusion-, and Submersion-type Chamber System
09:51

Recording Synaptic Plasticity in Acute Hippocampal Slices Maintained in a Small-volume Recycling-, Perfusion-, and Submersion-type Chamber System

Published on: January 1, 2018

Improved Preparation and Preservation of Hippocampal Mouse Slices for a Very Stable and Reproducible Recording of Long-term Potentiation
09:39

Improved Preparation and Preservation of Hippocampal Mouse Slices for a Very Stable and Reproducible Recording of Long-term Potentiation

Published on: June 26, 2013

Long-term Potentiation of Perforant Pathway-dentate Gyrus Synapse in Freely Behaving Mice
11:13

Long-term Potentiation of Perforant Pathway-dentate Gyrus Synapse in Freely Behaving Mice

Published on: November 29, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cellular Biology
  • Memory Research

Background:

  • Current memory storage theories emphasize Hebbian long-term potentiation (LTP), requiring simultaneous pre- and post-synaptic neuron activation.
  • Non-Hebbian plasticity, where synaptic strength changes independently of pre- and post-synaptic coincidence, is theoretically proposed but lacks substantial evidence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the existence and mechanisms of non-Hebbian LTP in the hippocampus.
  • To explore novel forms of synaptic plasticity beyond conventional Hebbian models.

Main Methods:

  • Experiments were conducted using mouse hippocampal slices.
  • Long-term potentiation (LTP) was induced via postsynaptic repetitive depolarization without presynaptic input.
  • The role of voltage-dependent calcium channels and NMDA receptors (NMDARs) in induction and expression was examined.
  • Changes in spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current (sEPSC) amplitude were measured.
  • LTP was also induced using trains of action potentials.

Main Results:

  • Long-term potentiation (LTP) was successfully induced by postsynaptic depolarization alone, independent of presynaptic activity.
  • Induction of this novel LTP relied on voltage-dependent calcium channels, not NMDARs.
  • The expression mechanism of this LTP overlapped with conventional NMDAR-dependent LTP.
  • A neuron-wide increase in spontaneous EPSC amplitude was observed, indicating a global potentiation effect.
  • LTP induction using action potential trains suggests in vivo relevance.

Conclusions:

  • A novel form of neuron-wide LTP, induced by postsynaptic depolarization alone, has been identified in the hippocampus.
  • This non-Hebbian plasticity mechanism, dependent on calcium channels, complements synapse-specific Hebbian plasticity in memory processing.
  • The findings suggest a new model for information processing in memory formation, integrating both Hebbian and non-Hebbian plasticity.