Editing Synaptic plasticity (section)

{{short description|Ability of a synapse to strengthen or weaken over time according to its activity}}
{{About|synaptic plasticity|the role of synapse formation and stabilization in plasticity|Synaptic stabilization|the general concept of brain plasticity|neuroplasticity}}

[[File:Synaptic_Plasticity_Rule.png|thumb|Synaptic plasticity rule for gradient estimation by dynamic perturbation of conductances]]
In [[neuroscience]], '''synaptic plasticity''' is the ability of [[synapses]] to [[Chemical synapse#Synaptic strength|strengthen or weaken]] over time, in response to increases or decreases in their activity.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Hughes JR | title = Post-tetanic potentiation | journal = Physiological Reviews | volume = 38 | issue = 1 | pages = 91–113 | date = January 1958 | pmid = 13505117 | doi = 10.1152/physrev.1958.38.1.91 }}</ref> Since [[memory|memories]] are postulated to be represented by vastly interconnected [[neural circuit]]s in the [[brain]], synaptic plasticity is one of the important neurochemical foundations of [[learning]] and [[memory]] (''see [[Hebbian theory]]'').

Plastic change often results from the alteration of the number of [[neurotransmitter receptor]]s located on a synapse.<ref name="NewT">{{cite journal | vauthors = Gerrow K, Triller A | title = Synaptic stability and plasticity in a floating world | journal = Current Opinion in Neurobiology | volume = 20 | issue = 5 | pages = 631–9 | date = October 2010 | pmid = 20655734 | doi = 10.1016/j.conb.2010.06.010 | s2cid = 7988672 }}</ref> There are several underlying mechanisms that cooperate to achieve synaptic plasticity, including changes in the quantity of [[neurotransmitter]]s released into a synapse and changes in how effectively cells respond to those neurotransmitters.<ref>
{{cite journal | vauthors = Gaiarsa JL, Caillard O, Ben-Ari Y | title = Long-term plasticity at GABAergic and glycinergic synapses: mechanisms and functional significance | journal = Trends in Neurosciences | volume = 25 | issue = 11 | pages = 564–70 | date = November 2002 | pmid = 12392931 | doi = 10.1016/S0166-2236(02)02269-5 | s2cid = 17365083 }}</ref> Synaptic plasticity in both [[Excitatory synapse|excitatory]] and [[Inhibitory synapse|inhibitory]] synapses has been found to be dependent upon [[postsynaptic]] [[calcium]] release.<ref name="NewT"/>