ABSTRACT

Synaptic plasticity describes the ability of individual synapses to alter their strength of transmission in response to different stimuli or environmental cues. Persistent activity-dependent changes are often referred to as long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), and represent respectively an increase and a decrease in the efficacy of synaptic transmission. Initially studied as a model for learning and memory, LTP and LTD are also thought to play a crucial role in the network hyperexcitability observed in pathological conditions and in the establishment of appropriate synaptic connections.