title: Mechanism of altered synaptic strength due to experience: relation to long-term potentiation.
abstract: An increase in medial perforant synaptic strength can be observed for hippocampal slices from rats exposed to environmental enrichment. The expression of enhanced synaptic strength exhibits properties similar to long-term potentiation (LTP), a physiological model of memory storage. Similarities include an increase in strength of the synaptic response in the absence of an altered paired-pulse ratio and an increase in the binding of the glutamate agonist alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate. Furthermore, environmental enrichment interacts with the mechanisms responsible for the induction of LTP by inhibiting further increases in synaptic strength following LTP-inducing stimulation. The results provide evidence for experience-mediated influences on postsynaptic mechanisms regulating medial perforant path synaptic strength.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville 22903, USA.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gagne
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Massicotte
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000378:metabolism; D012931:Social Environment; D012934:Social Isolation; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid