Synaptic integration in dendritic trees

Allan T. Gulledge, Björn M. Kampa, Greg J. Stuart*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

    194 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Most neurons have elaborate dendritic trees that receive tens of thousands of synaptic inputs. Because postsynaptic responses to individual synaptic events are usually small and transient, the integration of many synaptic responses is needed to depolarize most neurons to action potential threshold. Over the past decade, advances in electrical and optical recording techniques have led to new insights into how synaptic responses propagate and interact within dendritic trees. In addition to their passive electrical and morphological properties, dendrites express active conductances that shape individual synaptic responses and influence synaptic integration locally within dendrites. Dendritic voltage-gated Na+ and Ca2+ channels support action potential backpropagation into the dendritic tree and local initiation of dendritic spikes, whereas K+ conductances act to dampen dendritic excitability. While all dendrites investigated to date express active conductances, different neuronal types show specific patterns of dendritic channel expression leading to cell-specific differences in the way synaptic responses are integrated within dendritic trees. This review explores the way active and passive dendritic properties shape synaptic responses in the dendrites of central neurons, and emphasizes their role in synaptic integration.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)75-90
    Number of pages16
    JournalJournal of Neurobiology
    Volume64
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jul 2005

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