PHGY 209 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Synaptic Plasticity, Excitotoxicity, Irreversible Process

• School: McGill University
• Department: Physiology
• Course: PHGY 209
• Professor: Ann Wechsler

Document Summary

Mg2+ can also flow into the pore like ca2+ does; But, as epsps get to the post-synaptic neuron, the. This allows nmda to act as a detector for two things: signal has reached the post-synaptic membrane (recording) Synaptic plasticity: highly active excitatory synapses become stronger (i. e. epsps become larger). This process is called synaptic plasticity, which makes synapses stronger. Ltp: long-term potentiation; a model for synaptic plasticity. Epsps are larger, hours after induction of ltp. Analogy: learning process -- you learn it over and over and over until your memory of it becomes stronger. Eventually one signal can have a larger effect. High frequency activity depolarizes the postsynaptic spine, removing mg2+ block of nmda receptors, enabling nmda to conduct ca2+. Excitotoxicity: when you have too much glutamate around, this is toxic to neurons. This causes too much ca2+ influx through nmda receptors, then neuron suicides and die. through nmda receptors, then neuron suicides and die.