Changes in reliability of synaptic function as a mechanism for plasticity (original) (raw)

Nature volume 371, pages 704–707 (1994)Cite this article

Abstract

SYNAPTIC transmission in the hippocampus is rather unreliable, with many presynaptic action potentials failing to release neurotransmitter1–4. How is this unreliability affected by the alterations in synaptic strength seen in long-term potentiation (LTP)5 and long-term depression6,7 (LTD)? We find that LTP increases synaptic reliability, and LTD decreases it, both without a change in the size of those postsynaptic currents that do occur. Thus LTD is a functional inverse of LTP.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Raastad, M., Storm, J. F. & Andersen, P. Eur. J. Neurosci. 4, 113–117 (1992).
    Article Google Scholar
  2. Rosenmund, C., Clements, J. D. & Westbrook, G. L. Science 262, 754–757 (1993).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  3. Hessler, N. A., Shirker, A. M. & Malinow, R. Nature 366, 569–572 (1993).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  4. Allen, C. & Stevens, C. F. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. (in the press).
  5. Bliss, T. V. P. & Collingridge, G. L. Nature 361, 31–39 (1993).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  6. Dudek, S. M. & Bear, M. F. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89, 4363–4367 (1992).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  7. Mulkey, R. M. & Malenka, R. C. Neuron 9, 967–975 (1992).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  8. Edwards, F. A., Konnerth, A., Sakmann, B. & Takahashi, T. Pflügers Arch. Ges. Physiol. 414, 600–612 (1989).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  9. Blanton, M. G., Lo Turco, J. J. & Kriegstein, A. R. J. Neurosci. 30, 203–210 (1989).
    CAS Google Scholar
  10. Malinow, R. & Tsien, R. W. Nature 346, 177–180 (1990).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  11. Wigström, H., Gustafsson, B., Huang, Y.-Y. & Abraham, W. C. Acta Physiol. Scand. 126, 317–319 (1986).
    Article Google Scholar
  12. Collingridge, G. L., Kehl, S. J. & McLennan, H. J. Physiol., Lond. 334, 33–46 (1983).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  13. Malinow, R. & Miller, J. P. Nature 320, 529–530 (1986).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  14. Kelso, S. R., Ganong, A. H. & Brown, T. H. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 5326–5330 (1986).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  15. Korn, S. J., Marty, A., Connor, J. A. & Horn, R. Meth. Neurosci. 4, 364–372 (1991).
    Article Google Scholar
  16. Stevens, C. F. & Wang, Y. Nature 364, 147–149 (1993).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  17. Silva, A. J., Stevens, C. F., Tonegawa, S. & Wang, Y. Science 257, 201–206 (1992).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  18. Manabe, T., Renner, P., & Nicoll, R. A. Nature 355, 50–55 (1992).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Molecular Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California, 92110, USA
    Charles F. Stevens & Yanyan Wang

Authors

  1. Charles F. Stevens
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. Yanyan Wang
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stevens, C., Wang, Y. Changes in reliability of synaptic function as a mechanism for plasticity.Nature 371, 704–707 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/371704a0

Download citation

This article is cited by