Synaptic Plasticity
Neurons of the brain communicate through contact points called synapses. This research group focuses on synapses and their highly developed capacities for structural and functional change.
Illustrasjon: UiO
About the group
Synapses provide the brain with its most essential feature: the ability to change. Synapses exist not primarliy to tansmit information between neurons, but to regulate the flow of this information.
Continuously, new synapses appear, old ones disappear, the strength of existing synapses is changed. These processes are collectively called synaptic plasticity and enable the flow of information through the brain to be regulated and adjusted, providing the individual with a means of learning from the experiences.
Interaction between an array of cytoplasmic and membrane proteins make each synapse a microcomputer in itself. Synapses are subject to strains and diseases in manners that we know few details about.