Abstract
HETEROSYNAPTIC facilitation of unitary excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) has been demonstrated by Kandel and Tauc1 in some neurones of the Aplysia, especially in the so-called right giant cell. It consists of a long lasting enhancement of the amplitude of test EPSPs caused by the previous stimulation (the priming stimulation) of an input different from that used for the test pathway. The change in amplitude of the test EPSPs does not result from a modification of physical properties of the membrane of the postsynaptic neurone. It was suggested1 that it represents a presynaptic phenomenon by which the efficacy of the test input is increased through an action of the priming pathway on the terminals of the test pathway.
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References
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TAUC, L., EPSTEIN, R. Heterosynaptic Facilitation as a Distinct Mechanism in Aplysia. Nature 214, 724–725 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/214724a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/214724a0
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