AUTHOR=Hennig Matthias H.

TITLE=Theoretical models of synaptic short term plasticity

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience

VOLUME=7

YEAR=2013

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/computational-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fncom.2013.00045

DOI=10.3389/fncom.2013.00045

ISSN=1662-5188

ABSTRACT=<p>Short term plasticity is a highly abundant form of rapid, activity-dependent modulation of synaptic efficacy. A shared set of mechanisms can cause both depression and enhancement of the postsynaptic response at different synapses, with important consequences for information processing. Mathematical models have been extensively used to study the mechanisms and roles of short term plasticity. This review provides an overview of existing models and their biological basis, and of their main properties. Special attention will be given to slow processes such as calcium channel inactivation and the effect of activation of presynaptic autoreceptors.</p>