Abstract
The development of methods for the activity-dependent tagging of neurons enabled a new way to tackle the problem of engram identification at the cellular level, giving rise to groundbreaking findings in the field of memory studies. However, the resolution of activity-dependent tagging remains limited to the whole-cell level. Notably, events taking place at the synapse level play a critical role in the establishment of new memories, and strong experimental evidence shows that learning and synaptic plasticity are tightly linked. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the currently available techniques that enable to identify and track the neuronal activity with synaptic spatial resolution. We also present recent technologies that allow to selectively interfere with specific subsets of synapses. Lastly, we discuss how these technologies can be applied to the study of learning and memory.
Highlights
Synapses are the physical locus where information is transmitted between neurons
We have summarized the various approaches that can be used to identify ensembles of synapses involved in particular neural representations
The wary reader will have noticed that all the reporters we have described so far identify glutamatergic synapses, which almost invariably correspond to particular structures of the postsynaptic neuron, the spines (Holtmaat and Svoboda, 2009)
Summary
Synapses are the physical locus where information is transmitted between neurons. Synapses have specific molecular properties that modulate their effectiveness in propagating neuronal transmission in response to past activity, which confers them a central place in the neurobiology of learning and memory. Specific ensembles of synapses could represent unitary bits of information, such as a definite area of space or an element of a memory trace. Which synapses out of the many thousands are responsible for representing these memory elements? The experience-dependent increase of synaptic responses (such as long-term potentiation) is generally believed to be responsible for the behavioral responses observed in associate learning (Martin and Morris, 2002). While not all changes associated to learning and memory involve changes in synaptic transmission (Poo et al, 2016), a comprehensive of the theory of memory would be incomplete without taking
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
