[Long-term potentiation of the NMDA-dependent component of the EPSP in the hippocampus].

In the hippocampus, excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) consists of two components, which are related to activation of different types of glutamate receptors. The first component is related to activation of receptors, sensitive to kainate and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA), and the second one to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) (AMPA- and NMDA-EPSP respectively). The components are differently changed after induction of long-term potentiation (LTP), which is a known model for cellular mechanisms of learning, memory and a number of pathological processes. Activation of NMDA-receptors is a necessary step of induction of LTP, whereas maintenance of LTP related mainly with increase of AMPA-EPSP. However, in some situations NMDA-EPSP could be also increased after tetanisation or other influences which induce LTP. The increase of NMDA-EPSP could be an important neural mechanism for learning and memory or for neurodegenerative processes, related to disfunction of memory. Recent experimental data and hypothesis about mechanisms of NMDA-EPSP LTP are reviewed.