title: Timing Rules for Synaptic Plasticity Matched to Behavioral Function.
abstract: It is widely assumed that the complexity of neural circuits enables them to implement diverse learning tasks using just a few generic forms of synaptic plasticity. In contrast, we report that synaptic plasticity can itself be precisely tuned to the requirements of a learning task. We found that the rules for induction of long-term and single-trial plasticity at parallel fiber-to-Purkinje cell synapses vary across cerebellar regions. In the flocculus, associative plasticity in vitro and in vivo is narrowly tuned for an interval of ∼120 ms, which compensates for the specific processing delay for error signals to reach the flocculus during oculomotor learning. In the vermis, which supports a range of behavioral functions, plasticity is induced by a range of intervals, with individual cells tuned for different intervals. Thus, plasticity at a single, anatomically defined type of synapse can have properties that vary in a way that is precisely matched to function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Electronic address: aparnasu@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Aparna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suvrathan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Hannah L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Raymond
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D065814:Cerebellar Vermis / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D000068156:Formative Feedback; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D036881:Long-Term Synaptic Depression / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors