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Related Concept Videos

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.

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.

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.

Chemical Synapses

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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Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 27, 2026

Evaluation of Synaptic Multiplicity Using Whole-cell Patch-clamp Electrophysiology

Evaluation of Synaptic Multiplicity Using Whole-cell Patch-clamp Electrophysiology

Published on: April 23, 2019

Homeostatic synaptic plasticity: local and global mechanisms for stabilizing neuronal function.

Gina Turrigiano¹

¹Department of Biology and Center for Behavioral Genomics, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02493, USA. turrigiano@brandeis.edu

Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology

|November 17, 2011

Summary

Neural circuits use homeostatic plasticity to maintain stability despite changes. Mechanisms like synaptic scaling adjust glutamate receptors to balance neuronal activity.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cell Biology
Systems Biology

Background:

Neural circuits face constant challenges to stability from synaptic changes during learning and development.
Homeostatic plasticity mechanisms counteract these destabilizing influences to maintain stable neuronal and circuit activity.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the mechanisms of homeostatic plasticity in neural circuits.
To understand how synaptic scaling and other homeostatic processes regulate neuronal function.
To investigate the molecular pathways underlying homeostatic feedback in neural networks.

Main Methods:

The study reviews existing research on homeostatic plasticity.
It discusses calcium-dependent sensors and glutamate receptor trafficking in synaptic scaling.
It examines local and network-wide adaptations in response to synaptic activation.

Main Results:

Synaptic scaling adjusts glutamate receptor levels based on neuronal firing rates.
Homeostatic mechanisms operate at both local synaptic and network-wide levels.
Multiple molecular pathways are implicated, but the overall structure of homeostatic feedback is not yet fully elucidated.

Conclusions:

Neural networks employ a diverse array of regulatory mechanisms to achieve homeostasis across various temporal and spatial scales.
Understanding these complex homeostatic feedback systems is crucial for comprehending neural circuit function.
Further research is needed to clarify the molecular architecture of homeostatic plasticity.