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Related Concept Videos

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.
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 Depression01:05

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.
Long-term Depression01:03

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...
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

3D Modeling of Dendritic Spines with Synaptic Plasticity
07:13

3D Modeling of Dendritic Spines with Synaptic Plasticity

Published on: May 18, 2020

Short-term forms of presynaptic plasticity.

Diasynou Fioravante1, Wade G Regehr

  • 1Department Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States.

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|March 1, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Synapses use short-term plasticity, including depression and enhancement, for neural computation. Mechanisms involve vesicle dynamics, calcium signaling, and release site properties, contributing to adaptable brain function.

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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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Investigation of Synaptic Tagging/Capture and Cross-capture using Acute Hippocampal Slices from Rodents
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Investigation of Synaptic Tagging/Capture and Cross-capture using Acute Hippocampal Slices from Rodents

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Last Updated: Jun 4, 2026

3D Modeling of Dendritic Spines with Synaptic Plasticity
07:13

3D Modeling of Dendritic Spines with Synaptic Plasticity

Published on: May 18, 2020

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

Investigation of Synaptic Tagging/Capture and Cross-capture using Acute Hippocampal Slices from Rodents
11:29

Investigation of Synaptic Tagging/Capture and Cross-capture using Acute Hippocampal Slices from Rodents

Published on: September 4, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Synaptic Plasticity
  • Computational Neuroscience

Background:

  • Synapses exhibit short-term plasticity, crucial for neural computation.
  • Short-term depression and enhancement modulate neurotransmitter release over milliseconds to minutes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of synaptic short-term plasticity.
  • To highlight recent advances in understanding synaptic depression and enhancement.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on synaptic plasticity mechanisms.
  • Analysis of molecular and cellular processes contributing to synaptic function.

Main Results:

  • Synaptic depression mechanisms include vesicle depletion and release site/calcium channel inactivation.
  • Short-term enhancement involves calcium channel facilitation, buffer depletion, altered vesicle pools, and increased quantal size.
  • Heterogeneity in vesicles and release sites contributes to use-dependent plasticity.

Conclusions:

  • Multiple mechanisms underlie synaptic short-term plasticity, enabling diverse computational roles.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is key to comprehending neural circuit function and adaptability.