LTP mechanisms: from silence to four-lane traffic.

Brief periods of strong neuronal activity induce long-lasting changes in synaptic function. This synaptic plasticity is thought to play important roles in learning and memory. One example--long-term potentation in the CA1 region of the hippocampus--has been studied extensively, and conflicting views regarding the underlying mechanisms have emerged. Recent findings, regarding basic properties of synaptic transmission, appear to reconcile these diverging views.