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Postsynaptic Events Associated with Long-Lasting Activity-Induced Changes in Excitability of Neocortical Neurons

Studies in the Anesthetized Rat and in Slices in Vitro

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Abstract

It is well established that changes in excitability of neocortical neurons that persist, undiminished, for tens of minutes can be induced by increasing the firing rate for just a few minutes. Any of a number of experimental procedures can be used to increase firing, including depolarizing current, synaptic activation, and iontophoresis of glutamate or acetylcholine (Burns, 1957; Bindman et al., 1964; Bindman and Boisacq-Schepens, 1966; McCabe, 1973; Woody et al., 1978). The site of the underlying change has been localized to the neocortex in experiments carried out a neuronally isolated slabs of cortex in vivo (Bliss et al., 1968). Both increases and decreases in excitability of different neurons were observed following stimulation in a number of these studies.

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Bindman, L.J., Meyer, T., Prince, C.A. (1988). Postsynaptic Events Associated with Long-Lasting Activity-Induced Changes in Excitability of Neocortical Neurons. In: Woody, C.D., Alkon, D.L., McGaugh, J.L. (eds) Cellular Mechanisms of Conditioning and Behavioral Plasticity. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9610-0_35

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9610-0_35

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-9612-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-9610-0

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