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Activity‐dependent regulation of synaptic strength and neuronal excitability in central auditory pathways
Author(s) -
Walmsley Bruce,
Berntson Amy,
Leao Richardson N.,
Fyffe Robert E. W.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2006.104851
Subject(s) - neuroscience , premovement neuronal activity , hebbian theory , biological neural network , biology , synaptic plasticity , artificial neural network , computer science , biochemistry , receptor , machine learning
Neural activity plays an important role in regulating synaptic strength and neuronal membrane properties. Attempts to establish guiding rules for activity‐dependent neuronal changes have led to such concepts as homeostasis of cellular activity and Hebbian reinforcement of synaptic strength. However, it is clear that there are diverse effects resulting from activity changes, and that these changes depend on the experimental preparation, and the developmental stage of the neural circuits under study. In addition, most experimental evidence on activity‐dependent regulation comes from reduced preparations such as neuronal cultures. This review highlights recent results from studies of the intact mammalian auditory system, where changes in activity have been shown to produce alterations in synaptic and membrane properties at the level of individual neurons, and changes in network properties, including the formation of tonotopic maps.