Abstract
Nerve terminals are generally considered to be the destination points for electrical signals, which propagate unidirectionally from the soma to nerve terminals. We found that small hyperpolarizations or depolarizations ( approximately 10 mV) generated under physiological conditions in rat nerve terminals backpropagated up the axon ( approximately 400-800 microm) and changed the threshold for initiating action potentials and thus firing patterns. These results suggest a mechanism for information processing in neurons and neuronal circuits.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
MeSH terms
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Action Potentials / drug effects
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Action Potentials / physiology*
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Animals
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Auditory Pathways / cytology
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Auditory Pathways / physiology*
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Cochlear Nucleus / physiology
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Electric Stimulation
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Membrane Potentials / drug effects
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Membrane Potentials / physiology
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Neural Conduction / drug effects
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Neural Conduction / physiology
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Neural Inhibition / drug effects
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Neural Inhibition / physiology
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Neuronal Plasticity / physiology
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Organ Culture Techniques
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Presynaptic Terminals / drug effects
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Presynaptic Terminals / physiology*
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Rats
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Rhombencephalon / physiology*
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Synaptic Transmission / drug effects
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Synaptic Transmission / physiology*