Rapid activity-dependent modulation of the intrinsic excitability through up-regulation of KCNQ/Kv7 channel function in neonatal spinal motoneurons.

ABSTRACT: Activity-dependent changes in the properties of the motor system underlie the necessary adjustments in its responsiveness on the basis of the environmental and developmental demands of the organism. Although plastic changes in the properties of the spinal cord have historically been neglected because of the archaic belief that the spinal cord is constituted by a hardwired network that simply relays information to muscles, plenty of evidence has been accumulated showing that synapses impinging on spinal motoneurons undergo short- and long-term plasticity. In the brain, brief changes in the activity level of the network have been shown to be paralleled by changes in the intrinsic excitability of the neurons and are suggested to either reinforce or stabilize the changes at the synaptic level.

SUBMITTER: Lombardo J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5868771 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature