Biophysical model of posttetanic processes underlying simultaneous long-term modifications (LTP, LTD) in the efficacy of excitatory and inhibitory inputs to the dendritic spine

A generally accepted hypothesis in neurobiology has been that memory is based, at least in part, on the long-term modifications in the strength of synaptic transmission. The theory, based on use-dependent input specific long-term potentiation and depression of glutamate (Glu)-ergic excitatory transmission (LTP_e, LTD_e), is outlined. Some predictions were concluded from this hypothesis which require experimental evidences. Since existent electrophysiological methods do not allow to test the changes in the individual dendritic spine, biophysical model of postsynaptic processes was elaborated and used to verify predicted modification rules. The mathematical model of CA3 hippocampal pyramidal neuron was chosen. The basic structure of our model is similar in many ways to the well-described model of CA3 pyramidal cell, that has a good coincidence with experimental data