Short-term synaptic depression can increase the rate of information transfer at a release site.

ABSTRACT: The release of neurotransmitters from synapses obeys complex and stochastic dynamics. Depending on the recent history of synaptic activation, many synapses depress the probability of releasing more neurotransmitter, which is known as synaptic depression. Our understanding of how synaptic depression affects the information efficacy, however, is limited. Here we propose a mathematically tractable model of both synchronous spike-evoked release and asynchronous release that permits us to quantify the information conveyed by a synapse. The model transits between discrete states of a communication channel, with the present state depending on many past time steps, emulating the gradual depression and exponential recovery of the synapse. Asynchronous and spontaneous releases play a critical role i

SUBMITTER: Salmasi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6355030 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature