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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.
Propagation of Action Potentials01:23

Propagation of Action Potentials

The propagation of an action potential refers to the process by which a nerve impulse, or "action potential," travels along a neuron.
Neurons (nerve cells) have a resting membrane potential, with a slightly negative charge inside compared to outside. This is maintained by ion channels, such as sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) channels, which control the flow of ions. When a stimulus, like a touch or a signal from another neuron, triggers the neuron, sodium channels open, allowing sodium ions to...
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
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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.
Action Potentials01:41

Action Potentials

Overview
Action Potential01:14

Action Potential

Neurons communicate by firing action potentials—the electrochemical signal that is propagated along the axon. The signal results in the release of neurotransmitters at axon terminals, thereby transmitting information to the nervous system. An action potential is a specific "all-or-none" change in membrane potential that results in a rapid spike in voltage.
Membrane potential in neurons
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Use of Primary Cultured Hippocampal Neurons to Study the Assembly of Axon Initial Segments
06:53

Use of Primary Cultured Hippocampal Neurons to Study the Assembly of Axon Initial Segments

Published on: February 12, 2021

Plasticity at the axon initial segment.

Hiroshi Kuba1

  • 1Department of Physiology; Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine; Kyoto, Japan.

Communicative & Integrative Biology
|February 19, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Neural plasticity extends beyond synapses to the axon initial segment (AIS). Sensory deprivation caused AIS elongation in avian auditory neurons, increasing excitability and spontaneous firing to compensate for lost activity.

Keywords:
auditoryaxon initial segmenthomeostasisneuronplasticitysodium channel

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cellular Neuroscience
  • Neuroplasticity

Background:

  • Neural plasticity traditionally refers to changes at synapses, dendrites, or cell soma.
  • The axon initial segment (AIS) is a critical site for action potential initiation, rich in voltage-gated sodium channels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate plasticity at the axon initial segment (AIS).
  • To explore the role of AIS plasticity in response to sensory input changes.

Main Methods:

  • Studied avian brainstem auditory neurons.
  • Observed structural changes in the AIS following sensory input deprivation.

Main Results:

  • The axon initial segment (AIS) elongated after sensory input deprivation.
  • AIS elongation led to increased neuronal excitability.
  • Spontaneous neuronal firing was observed, suggesting a compensatory mechanism.

Conclusions:

  • Plasticity occurs at the AIS, not just synapses.
  • AIS plasticity is an efficient mechanism for neurons to regulate activity.
  • This finding offers new insights into neural circuit development and maintenance.