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The Role of Neuronal Activity in the Long-Term Regulation of Synaptic Performance at the Crayfish Neuromuscular Junction

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Cellular Mechanisms of Conditioning and Behavioral Plasticity

Abstract

Long-term changes in synapses produced by altered impulse activity may be an important mechanism underlying forms of learning. The long-term effects of impulse activity on the physiology and morphology of well-defined synapses can be studied at the neuromuscular junction (Robbins, 1980). This is particularly true for crustacean neuromuscular synapses, where muscles are innervated by relatively few motoneurons. In crustacean muscles the activity of identified motoneurons can be monitored and selectively altered for extended periods in vivo. Identified neuromuscular synapses can be examined physiologically and morphologically. In addition, many of the physiological and morphological features of crustacean neuromuscular synapses are similar to synapses in the central nervous system (Atwood, 1982).

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© 1988 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Lnenicka, G.A. (1988). The Role of Neuronal Activity in the Long-Term Regulation of Synaptic Performance at the Crayfish Neuromuscular Junction. 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_37

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9610-0_37

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-9612-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-9610-0

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