In: Psychology
1. What is LTP? Why is LTP so interesting to researchers? Describe a specific demonstration of LTP at a hippocampal site of your choice
Long-term potentiation (LTP) refers to the persistent strengthening of synapses based on recent patterns of activity that produce a long-lasting increase in signal transmission between two neurons. It is of special interest to researchers as it is one of several phenomena that underlies synaptic plasticity or the ability of chemical synapses to change their strength. LTP is also considered one of the major cellular mechanisms that underlies learning and memory.
Capron, Sindic, Godaux and Ria (2006) demosntred thag in area CA1 of hippocampal slices, a single 1-sec train of 100-Hz stimulation triggers a short-lasting long-term potentiation (S-LTP), which lasts 1–2 h, whereas multiple 1-sec trains induce a long-lasting LTP (L-LTP), which lasts several hours.
References:
Capron, B., Sindic, C., Godaux, E., & Ris, L. (2006). The characteristics of LTP induced in hippocampal slices are dependent on slice-recovery conditions. Learning & Memory, 13(3), 271-277. doi:10.1101/lm.135406