Long-term potentiation and long-term depression require postsynaptic depolarization, which many current models attribute to backpropagating action potentials. New experimental work suggests, however, ...

The intrinsic properties of neurons that enable them to maintain depolarized, persistently activated states in the absence of sustained input are poorly understood. In short-term memory tasks, ...

Voltage-gated calcium channels swing open with passing action potentials, allowing calcium ions into the cell, and slide shut when the membrane depolarization has passed. Two papers this month suggest ...