Decline in the Recovery from Synaptic Depression in Heavier Aplysia Results from Decreased Serotonin-Induced Novel PKC Activation.

ABSTRACT: The defensive withdrawal reflexes of Aplysia are important behaviors for protecting the animal from predation. Habituation and dishabituation allow for experience-dependent tuning of these reflexes and the mechanisms underlying these forms of behavioral plasticity involve changes in transmitter release from the sensory to motor neuron synapses through homosynaptic depression and the serotonin-mediated recovery from depression, respectively. Interestingly, dishabituation is reduced in older animals with no corresponding change in habituation. Here we show that the cultured sensory neurons of heavier animals (greater than 120 g) that form synaptic connections with motor neurons have both reduced recovery from depression and reduced novel PKC Apl II activation with 5HT. The decrease in the re

SUBMITTER: Dunn TW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4552628 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature