Mapping homeostatic synaptic plasticity using cable properties of dendrites.

ABSTRACT: When chronically silenced, cortical and hippocampal neurons homeostatically upregulate excitatory synaptic function. However, the subcellular position of such changes on the dendritic tree is not clear. We exploited the cable-filtering properties of dendrites to derive a parameter, the dendritic filtering index (DFI), to map the spatial distribution of synaptic currents. Our analysis indicates that young rat cortical neurons globally scale AMPA receptor-mediated currents, while mature hippocampal neurons do not, revealing distinct homeostatic strategies between brain regions and developmental stages. The DFI presents a useful tool for mapping the dendritic origin of synaptic currents and the location of synaptic plasticity changes.

SUBMITTER: Queenan BN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5493445 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature