The malleable brain: plasticity of neural circuits and behavior ? A review from students to students

NATASCHA SCHAEFER; MYCHAEL V. LOURENCO; SUMIT JAMWAL; SORABH SHARMA; HANNAH LOKE; AHMAD SALAMIAN; KATARZYNA NAWROTEK; CAROLA ROTERMUND; TETSADE PIERMARTIRI; POOJA JOSHI; YVETTE WILSON; NILUFAR ALI; BENHAM VAFADARI; SHAMPA GHOSH; NEETU KUSHWAH; VISHAL JAIN; MAHIMA SHARMA; EVA-MARIA BLUMRICH; RAMESH K PAID; REGINA U. HEGEMANN; ELHAM AMINI; PHILIP A ADENIYI; EZRA MICHELET GARCÍA ROMERO; VEDANGANA SAINI; JITENDRA K SINHA; PAULA FONTANET; KATARZYNA LEPETA; MOJTABA GOLPICH; SHEILA M. SHAHIDZADEH; VERONICA PASTOR; ASHOK K DATUSALIA; EDNA SUÁREZ-POZOS; ANTHONY J. TURNER

JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2017

0022-3042

One of the most intriguing features of the brain is its ability to be malleable, allowing it to adapt continually to changes in the environment. Specific neuronal activity patterns drive long-lasting increases or decreases in the strength of synaptic connections, referred to as long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) respectively. Such phenomena have been described in a variety of model organisms, which are used to study molecular, structural, and functional aspects of synaptic plasticity. This review originated from the first International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN) and Journal of Neurochemistry (JNC) Flagship School held in Alpbach, Austria (Sep 2016), and will use its curriculum and discussions as a framework to review some of the current knowledge in the field of synaptic plasticity. First, we describe the role of plasticity during development and the persistent changes of neural circuitry occurring when sensory input is altered during critical developmental stages. We then outline the signaling cascades resulting in the synthesis of new plasticity-related proteins, which ultimately enable sustained changes in synaptic strength. Going beyond the traditional understanding of synaptic plasticity conceptualized by LTP and LTD, we discuss system-wide modifications and recently unveiled homeostatic mechanisms, such as synaptic scaling. Finally, we describe the neural circuits and synaptic plasticity mechanisms driving associative memory and motor learning. Evidence summarized in this review provides a current view of synaptic plasticity in its various forms, offers new insights into the underlying mechanisms and behavioral relevance, and provides directions for future research in the field of synaptic plasticity.