The Self-tuning Neuron: Synaptic Scaling of Excitatory Synapses

Overview

Journal Cell

Publisher Cell Press

Specialty Cell Biology

Date 2008 Nov 6

PMID 18984155

Citations 799

Authors

Gina G Turrigiano

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Homeostatic synaptic scaling is a form of synaptic plasticity that adjusts the strength of all of a neuron's excitatory synapses up or down to stabilize firing. Current evidence suggests that neurons detect changes in their own firing rates through a set of calcium-dependent sensors that then regulate receptor trafficking to increase or decrease the accumulation of glutamate receptors at synaptic sites. Additional mechanisms may allow local or network-wide changes in activity to be sensed through parallel pathways, generating a nested set of homeostatic mechanisms that operate over different temporal and spatial scales.

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