Two opposing plasticity mechanisms pulling a single synapse

Ithai Rabinowitch; Idan Segev

doi:10.1016/j.tins.2008.05.005

Two opposing plasticity mechanisms pulling a single synapse

Ithai Rabinowitch^*, Idan Segev

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Medical Neurobiology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

75 Scopus citations

Abstract

Homeostatic synaptic plasticity (HSP) has been suggested to act as a negative feedback mechanism responsible for globally and uniformly scaling (up or down) the strength of all synapses in the neuron, in compensation for chronically aberrant (too low or too high) levels of activity. Such global scaling preserves the relative strengths of synapses and thus keeps 'Hebbian-like' memory traces (long-term potentiations, LTP, or depressions, LTD). However, new experimental findings demonstrate that HSP can operate locally, controlling each synapse individually. Seemingly, this finding implies that HSP can abolish any modification of synaptic strength (erase LTP/LTD). We propose that dendrites offer an inherent solution to this 'paradox' and that in fact local HSP might confer upon the neuron several surprising benefits, which are demonstrated using computer simulations.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	377-383
Number of pages	7
Journal	Trends in Neurosciences
Volume	31
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2008.05.005
State	Published - Aug 2008

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by a grant donation by the Edmond J. Safra Foundation (‘Learning and Memory’) and by the NIH (IR01-MH59976–01A2) and the Israeli Science Foundation (10/256). I.R. was supported by a Horowitz Fund fellowship.

Access to Document

10.1016/j.tins.2008.05.005

Cite this

@article{6d09f31cef814db1b7943713e75b38df,

title = "Two opposing plasticity mechanisms pulling a single synapse",

abstract = "Homeostatic synaptic plasticity (HSP) has been suggested to act as a negative feedback mechanism responsible for globally and uniformly scaling (up or down) the strength of all synapses in the neuron, in compensation for chronically aberrant (too low or too high) levels of activity. Such global scaling preserves the relative strengths of synapses and thus keeps 'Hebbian-like' memory traces (long-term potentiations, LTP, or depressions, LTD). However, new experimental findings demonstrate that HSP can operate locally, controlling each synapse individually. Seemingly, this finding implies that HSP can abolish any modification of synaptic strength (erase LTP/LTD). We propose that dendrites offer an inherent solution to this 'paradox' and that in fact local HSP might confer upon the neuron several surprising benefits, which are demonstrated using computer simulations.",

author = "Ithai Rabinowitch and Idan Segev",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by a grant donation by the Edmond J. Safra Foundation ({\textquoteleft}Learning and Memory{\textquoteright}) and by the NIH (IR01-MH59976–01A2) and the Israeli Science Foundation (10/256). I.R. was supported by a Horowitz Fund fellowship.",

year = "2008",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1016/j.tins.2008.05.005",

language = "אנגלית",

volume = "31",

pages = "377--383",

journal = "Trends in Neurosciences",

issn = "0166-2236",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

number = "8",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Two opposing plasticity mechanisms pulling a single synapse

AU - Rabinowitch, Ithai

AU - Segev, Idan

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by a grant donation by the Edmond J. Safra Foundation (‘Learning and Memory’) and by the NIH (IR01-MH59976–01A2) and the Israeli Science Foundation (10/256). I.R. was supported by a Horowitz Fund fellowship.

PY - 2008/8

Y1 - 2008/8

N2 - Homeostatic synaptic plasticity (HSP) has been suggested to act as a negative feedback mechanism responsible for globally and uniformly scaling (up or down) the strength of all synapses in the neuron, in compensation for chronically aberrant (too low or too high) levels of activity. Such global scaling preserves the relative strengths of synapses and thus keeps 'Hebbian-like' memory traces (long-term potentiations, LTP, or depressions, LTD). However, new experimental findings demonstrate that HSP can operate locally, controlling each synapse individually. Seemingly, this finding implies that HSP can abolish any modification of synaptic strength (erase LTP/LTD). We propose that dendrites offer an inherent solution to this 'paradox' and that in fact local HSP might confer upon the neuron several surprising benefits, which are demonstrated using computer simulations.

AB - Homeostatic synaptic plasticity (HSP) has been suggested to act as a negative feedback mechanism responsible for globally and uniformly scaling (up or down) the strength of all synapses in the neuron, in compensation for chronically aberrant (too low or too high) levels of activity. Such global scaling preserves the relative strengths of synapses and thus keeps 'Hebbian-like' memory traces (long-term potentiations, LTP, or depressions, LTD). However, new experimental findings demonstrate that HSP can operate locally, controlling each synapse individually. Seemingly, this finding implies that HSP can abolish any modification of synaptic strength (erase LTP/LTD). We propose that dendrites offer an inherent solution to this 'paradox' and that in fact local HSP might confer upon the neuron several surprising benefits, which are demonstrated using computer simulations.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=47849090741&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.tins.2008.05.005

DO - 10.1016/j.tins.2008.05.005

M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???

C2 - 18602704

AN - SCOPUS:47849090741

SN - 0166-2236

VL - 31

SP - 377

EP - 383

JO - Trends in Neurosciences

JF - Trends in Neurosciences

IS - 8

ER -

Two opposing plasticity mechanisms pulling a single synapse

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this