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

Neuroplasticity

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 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.

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...

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

Electron ionization mass spectral studies of a series of <i>N'</i>-trimethylsilyl derivatives of <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-dialkylacetimidamides.

European journal of mass spectrometry (Chichester, England)·2026

Same author

A sensitive orange fluorescent calcium ion indicator for imaging neural activity.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

Hypothalamic neuropeptides as modulators of neural activity and behaviour.

Journal of molecular endocrinology·2026

Same author

Adaptation of hypothalamic CRH neuron responses to stress and pup cues during motherhood.

Communications biology·2026

Same author

Electron ionization mass spectral studies of a series of <i>N,N</i>-dialkylacetimidamides and their methyl derivatives.

European journal of mass spectrometry (Chichester, England)·2026

Same author

Geometric principles of dendritic integration of excitation and inhibition in cortical neurons.

Science advances·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Inducing Plasticity of Astrocytic Receptors by Manipulation of Neuronal Firing Rates

Inducing Plasticity of Astrocytic Receptors by Manipulation of Neuronal Firing Rates

Published on: March 20, 2014

Astrocyte-mediated distributed plasticity at hypothalamic glutamate synapses.

Grant R J Gordon¹, Karl J Iremonger, Srinivas Kantevari

¹Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.

|November 17, 2009

Summary

Astrocytes mediate rapid, distributed synaptic plasticity by releasing ATP in response to neural activity. This astrocyte-driven mechanism enhances glutamate synapse strength, scaling synaptic efficacy across the neuron.

More Related Videos

Single Synapse Indicators of Glutamate Release and Uptake in Acute Brain Slices from Normal and Huntington Mice

Single Synapse Indicators of Glutamate Release and Uptake in Acute Brain Slices from Normal and Huntington Mice

Published on: March 11, 2020

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

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

Published on: September 20, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Inducing Plasticity of Astrocytic Receptors by Manipulation of Neuronal Firing Rates

Inducing Plasticity of Astrocytic Receptors by Manipulation of Neuronal Firing Rates

Published on: March 20, 2014

Single Synapse Indicators of Glutamate Release and Uptake in Acute Brain Slices from Normal and Huntington Mice

Single Synapse Indicators of Glutamate Release and Uptake in Acute Brain Slices from Normal and Huntington Mice

Published on: March 11, 2020

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

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

Published on: September 20, 2024

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cellular Neuroscience
Synaptic Plasticity

Background:

Synaptic efficacy can be rapidly modulated by afferent activity.
Synaptic plasticity mechanisms are crucial for neural computation and memory.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate a novel form of synaptic plasticity involving astrocyte recruitment.
To elucidate the mechanisms underlying fast, feed-forward synaptic scaling mediated by astrocytes.

Main Methods:

Combined electrophysiology, caged molecule photolysis, and calcium imaging.
Investigated synaptic currents at glutamate synapses on magnocellular neurosecretory cells.
Examined the role of astrocytes and gliotransmitters in synaptic plasticity.

Main Results:

Afferent activity recruits astrocytes, leading to a fast, feed-forward increase in quantal synaptic current amplitude.
This plasticity results in a multiplicative scaling of synaptic strength across multiple synapses.
Astrocyte activation requires metabotropic glutamate receptor-mediated calcium rise and ATP release, acting on postsynaptic purinergic receptors.

Conclusions:

Astrocytes mediate a novel form of distributed synaptic plasticity.
This plasticity is fast, feed-forward, and triggered by synaptic activity.
Gliotransmitter release from astrocytes, specifically ATP, is essential for synaptic scaling.