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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 572/2/313    most recent jphysiol.2006.104851v1 Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Walmsley, B. Articles by Fyffe, R. E. W. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Walmsley, B. Articles by Fyffe, R. E. W. Related Collections Review articles

¹ The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
² Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Physiology, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45459, USA

Neural activity plays an important role in regulating synaptic strength and neuronal membrane properties. Attempts to establish guiding rules for activity-dependent neuronal changes have led to such concepts as homeostasis of cellular activity and Hebbian reinforcement of synaptic strength. However, it is clear that there are diverse effects resulting from activity changes, and that these changes depend on the experimental preparation, and the developmental stage of the neural circuits under study. In addition, most experimental evidence on activity-dependent regulation comes from reduced preparations such as neuronal cultures. This review highlights recent results from studies of the intact mammalian auditory system, where changes in activity have been shown to produce alterations in synaptic and membrane properties at the level of individual neurons, and changes in network properties, including the formation of tonotopic maps.

(Received 5 January 2006; accepted after revision 6 February 2006; first published online 9 February 2006)
Corresponding author B. Walmsley: Synapse and Hearing Laboratory, Division of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, PO Box 334, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. Email: bruce.walmsley{at}anu.edu.au

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