Abstract
Certain patterns of neuronal activities induce changes in the efficacy of synaptic transmission. These phenomena are called synaptic plasticity, and assumed as a physiological basis for learning and memory. The cerebellum provides a powerful experimental paradigm for studying synaptic plasticity. The synaptic circuits of the cerebellum consist of the cerebellar cortex and deep cerebellar nuclei. The cerebellar cortex is a stack of stereotyped circuitry containing only a few types of neurons. Besides, the pattern of projections between the cerebellar cortex, deep cerebellar nuclei, and related brain regions is relatively simple. This allows an analysis of synapses between definitely identified neuronal types. The cerebellum is shown to be important for some sorts of motor learning. Thus, one can pursue the physiological significance of cerebellar synaptic plasticity at the behavioral level, using motor learning tasks. To date, various forms of synaptic plasticity have been demonstrated at distinct cerebellar synapses. In this chapter, we review some representative forms of cerebellar synaptic plasticity and discuss their possible mechanisms and physiological significance.
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Abbreviations
- AMPAR:
-
(RS)-α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid-type ionotropic glutamate receptor
- BC:
-
basket cell
- CB1R:
-
cannabinoid receptor
- CF:
-
climbing fiber
- CRF:
-
corticotrophin-releasing factor
- DAG:
-
diacylglycerol
- DCN:
-
deep cerebellar nuclei
- DCNN:
-
deep cerebellar nuclear neuron
- DSE:
-
depolarization-induced suppression of excitation
- DSI:
-
depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition
- EPSPs:
-
excitatory postsynaptic potentials
- ERK1/2:
-
extracellular signal-regulated kinase
- GC:
-
granule cell
- GRIP:
-
glutamate receptor-interacting protein
- IN:
-
interneuron
- IP3R:
-
IP3 receptor
- IP3 :
-
inositol trisphosphate
- IPSPs:
-
inhibitory postsynaptic potentials
- LTD:
-
long-term depression
- LTP:
-
long-term potentiation
- MEK1/2:
-
mitogen-activated protein kinase
- MF:
-
mossy fiber
- mGluR1:
-
type-1 metabotropic glutamate receptor
- NMDAR:
-
N-methyl-D-aspartate-type ionotropic glutamate receptor
- OKR:
-
optokinetic reflex
- PC:
-
Purkinje cell
- PF:
-
parallel fiber
- PKA:
-
protein kinase A
- PKC:
-
protein kinase C
- PPD:
-
paired-pulse depression
- PPF:
-
paired-pulse facilitation
- RP:
-
rebound potentiation
- SC:
-
stellate cell
- sGC:
-
guanylyl cyclase
- STD:
-
short-term depression
- STP:
-
short-term potentiation
- VGCCs:
-
voltage-gated Ca2+ channels
- VOR:
-
vestibulo-ocular reflex
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Acknowledgments
Our work cited in this chapter was partly supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, Culture and Technology of Japan (17,700,305; 18,019,022; and 19,045,019 to T.T., 17,023,021 and 17,100,004 to M.K.).
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Tabata, T., Kano, M. (2009). Synaptic Plasticity in the Cerebellum. In: Lajtha, A., Mikoshiba, K. (eds) Handbook of Neurochemistry and Molecular Neurobiology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30370-3_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30370-3_6
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