Activity-Dependent Regulation of Conductances
and Network Properties

While plasticity is an essential property of neurons and neural circuits, the ability to maintain stable patterns of activity is equally important. Theoretical and experimental results suggest that neurons stabilize their activity by altering the number and/or characteristics of ion currents to regulate dynamically their intrinsic electrical properties. I will present both experimental and modeling evidence to show that activity-dependent regulation of ionic conductances takes place in neurons from the stomatogastric ganglion of crustaceans, that it can account for the variability in the maximum conductance measured and that, by operating at the level of individual neurons, it can also stabilize network activity. Activity-dependent regulation of conductances is not a property exclusive of stomatogastric ganglion neurons and is likely to be a major mechanism regulating cellular and network activity in other preparations as well.

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