User:Pat Bolan/Long-term Depression Proposal

Patrick Bolan, Anastasia Berg, Patrick Raab 10/2/09 Introduction to Neuroscience Long-term depression Wikipedia proposal

Long-term depression (LTD) is a phenomenon that changes the way neurons communicate with each other. LDT is said to occur when the synaptic connections between neurons are weakened, making LTD the exact opposite of long term potentiation (LTP). This weakening is thought to occur from a decrease in the density of postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptors. There are three types of LTD: homosynaptic, heterosynaptic, and associative. LTD takes place in both the cerebellum and the hippocampus, and is thought to play a role in memory decay and motor learning. Hippocampal LTD could be dependent on NMDA receptors, metabotrophic glutamate receptors, or endocannabinoids. Neuronal calcium influx can cause both LTP and LTD depending on the history of the synapse, the amount of calcium that enters, the timing of the calcium influx, and the frequency of the calcium influx.

Points to be covered: 1. Mechanism of weakening the synapse 2. Types of Long term depression 3. NMDA receptors, metabotrophic glutamate receptors, endocannabinoids 4. The difference of the LTD in the cerebellum and the hippocampus 5. The role of LTD in motor learning 6. The role of LTD in memory 7. Neuronal calcium influx and LTD 8. Spike timing dependent plasticity methods 9. The Lisman Model

Primary Sources: 1. Brain Research. 1050(1-2). JUL 19 2005. 110-117 2. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts. 22(1-3). 1996. 331. 3. Journal of Neuroscience. 20(22). November 15, 2000. 8290-8297. 4. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 90, No. 8 pp. 3650-3654 5. Long-term potentiation and long-term depression in the lateral septum in spatial working and reference memory. R Jaffard, R. M. Vouimba, A Marighetto and R Garcia

Secondary Sources: 1. The hippocampus Book by Pur Anderson 2. Long-Term Potentiation and Depression as Putative Mechanisms for Memory Formation by Martha L. Escobar and Brian Derrick 3. Long-term Potentiaion: Enhancing Neuroscience for 30 Years. Tim Bliss, Graham Collingridge , Richard Morris.

Division of Work: Anastasia Berg will research points 1-3 and write about them, Patrick Bolan will research points 4-6 and write about them, and Patrick Raab will research points 7-9 and write about them.