Abstract
LONG-TERM potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus is widely studied as the mechanisms involved in its induction and maintenance are believed to underlie fundamental properties of learning and memory in vertebrates1. Most synapses that exhibit LTP use an excitatory amino-acid neurotransmitter that acts on two types of receptor, the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and quisqualate receptors2. The quisqualate receptor mediates the fast synaptic response evoked by low-frequency stimulation3,4, whereas the NMDA receptor system is activated transiently by tetanic stimulation, leading to the induction of LTP3,5–7. The events responsible for maintaining LTP once it is established are not known. We now demonstrate that the sensitivity of CA1 neurons in hippocampal slices to ionophoretically-applied quisqualate receptor ligands slowly increases following the induction of LTP. This provides direct evidence for a functional post-synaptic change and suggests that pre-synaptic mechanisms also contribute, but in a temporally distinct manner, to the maintenance of LTP.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bliss, T. V. P. & Lynch, M. A. Neurol. Neurobiol. 35, 3–72 (1988).
Watkins, J. C. & Evans, R. H. A. Rev. Pharmac. Tox. 21, 165–204 (1981).
Collingridge, G. L., Kehl, S. J. & McLennan, H. J. Physiol., Lond. 334, 33–46 (1983).
Blake, J. F., Brown, M. W. & Collingridge, G. L. Neurosci. Lett. 89, 182–186 (1988).
Harris, E. W., Ganong, A. H. & Cotman, C. W. Brain Res. 323, 132–137 (1984).
Wigström, H. & Gustafsson, B. Neurosci, Lett. 44, 327–332 (1984).
Herron, C. E., Lester, R. A. J., Coan, E. J. & Collingridge, G. L. Nature 322, 265–268 (1986).
Honoré, T. et al. Science 241, 701–703 (1988).
Andreasen, M., Lambert, J. D. C. & Skovgaard Jensen, M. Neurosci. Lett. 93, 61–66 (1988).
Neuman, R. S., Ben-Ari, Y., Gho, M. & Cherubini, E. Neurosci. Lett. 92, 64–68 (1988).
Lambert, J. D. C., Flatman, J. A. & Jahnsen, H. J. Neurosci. Meth. 3, 311–315 (1981).
Bliss, T. V. P., Douglas, R. M., Errington, M. L. & Lynch, M. A. J. Physiol., Lond. 377, 391–408 (1986).
Skrede, K. & Malthe-Sorenssen, D. Brain Res. 208, 436–441 (1981).
Sastry, B. R. Life Sci. 30, 2003–2008 (1982).
Lynch, G. & Baudry, M. Science 224, 1057–1063 (1984).
Kauer, J. A., Malenka, R. C. & Nicoll, R. A. Neuron 1, 911–917 (1988).
Muller, D., Joly, M. & Lynch, G. Science 242, 1694–1697 (1988).
Lynch, G., Gribkoff, V. & Deadwyler, S. A. Nature 263, 151–153 (1976).
Mohan, P. M. & Sastry, B. R. Eur. J. Pharmac. 114, 335–341 (1985).
Taube, J. S. & Schwartzkroin, P. A. J. Neuroscience 8, 1632–1644 (1988).
Davies, S. N., Fletcher, E. J. & Lodge, D. J. Physiol., Lond. 406, 13P (1988).
Lovinger, D. M., Wong, K. L., Murakami, K. & Routtenberg, A. Brain Res. 436, 177–183 (1987).
Reymann, K. G., Frey, U., Jork, R. & Matthies, H. Brain Res. 440, 305–314 (1988).
Malinow, R., Madison, D. V. & Tsien, R. W. Nature 335, 821–824 (1988).
Hu, G.-Y. et al. Nature 328, 426–429 (1987).
Dumuis, A., Sebben, M., Haynes, L., Pin, J.-P. & Bockaert, J. Nature 336, 68–70 (1988).
Piomelli, D. et al. Nature 328, 38–43 (1987).
Williams, J. H. & Bliss, T. V. P. Neurosci. Lett. 88, 81–85 (1988).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Davies, S., Lester, R., Reymann, K. et al. Temporally distinct pre- and post-synaptic mechanisms maintain long-term potentiation. Nature 338, 500–503 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/338500a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/338500a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.