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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.

Integration of Synaptic Events

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...

Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)

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...

The Synapse

The Synapse

Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.

Action Potential

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
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...

Synaptic Signaling

Synaptic Signaling

Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...

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Updated: May 5, 2026

Functional Calcium Imaging in Developing Cortical Networks

Functional Calcium Imaging in Developing Cortical Networks

Published on: October 22, 2011

Spontaneous Network Activity and Synaptic Development.

Daniel Kerschensteiner¹

¹Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA dkerschensteiner@wustl.edu.

The Neuroscientist : a Review Journal Bringing Neurobiology, Neurology and Psychiatry

|November 28, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Spontaneous neural activity guides nervous system development. This review covers common mechanisms and patterns of this activity and their role in shaping synaptic development in vivo.

Keywords:

circuit mechanisms connectivity patterned activity plasticity synaptogenesis waves

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Induction of an Isoelectric Brain State to Investigate the Impact of Endogenous Synaptic Activity on Neuronal Excitability In Vivo

Induction of an Isoelectric Brain State to Investigate the Impact of Endogenous Synaptic Activity on Neuronal Excitability In Vivo

Published on: March 31, 2016

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Biology
Neurobiology

Background:

The developing nervous system generates patterned spontaneous activity crucial for circuit formation.
Over 20 years of research identified core mechanisms mediating this activity across diverse neural circuits.
Activity-dependent plasticity contributes to establishing diverse circuits using shared mechanisms and patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

To review common mechanisms and patterns of spontaneous activity in emerging neural networks.
To discuss the contribution of spontaneous activity to synaptic development in vivo.
To explore how variations in activity-dependent plasticity enable diverse circuit formation.

Main Methods:

Literature review of research on spontaneous neural activity and synaptic development.
Analysis of mechanisms and patterns of activity propagation in developing circuits.
Synthesis of evidence linking spontaneous network activity to in vivo synaptic plasticity.

Main Results:

Common mechanisms and stereotypic patterns of spontaneous activity are conserved across developing neural circuits.
Spontaneous network activity significantly shapes synaptic development.
Activity-dependent plasticity explains the establishment of diverse circuits from common developmental processes.

Conclusions:

Spontaneous neural activity is a fundamental driver of nervous system development.
Understanding these activity patterns and mechanisms is key to deciphering circuit formation.
Further research into activity-dependent plasticity will illuminate neural development and potential therapeutic targets.