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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...

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.

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...

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.

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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 23, 2026

3D Modeling of Dendritic Spines with Synaptic Plasticity

3D Modeling of Dendritic Spines with Synaptic Plasticity

Published on: May 18, 2020

When brains flip coins.

Thomas Akam¹, Rui M Costa¹

¹Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, Av. De Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal.

|October 4, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Animals can switch to random decision-making when predictions fail. This behavioral shift is controlled by noradrenergic signaling in the anterior cingulate cortex, as shown in a recent Cell study.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Behavioral Biology
Decision-Making

Background:

Predictive strategies are common in animal behavior.
Environmental unpredictability can challenge these strategies.
The neural mechanisms underlying behavioral flexibility are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how animals adapt their decision-making strategies in unpredictable environments.
To identify the neural pathways involved in shifting from predictive to stochastic behavior.

Main Methods:

The study likely involved behavioral experiments with animals in controlled environments.
Neuroimaging or electrophysiological techniques may have been used to monitor neural activity.
Pharmacological manipulations could have targeted specific signaling pathways.

Main Results:

Animals demonstrated a shift towards stochastic choice policies when predictive strategies were unfavorable.
Noradrenergic signaling in the anterior cingulate cortex was identified as a key driver of this behavioral shift.

Conclusions:

The anterior cingulate cortex plays a crucial role in behavioral flexibility.
Noradrenergic signaling modulates the transition between different decision-making strategies.
Animals can utilize stochasticity as an adaptive strategy in challenging environments.