PHARMACOLOGICAL DISSOCIATION OF DIFFERENT FORMS OF SYNAPTIC PLASTICITY IN THE MARINE MOLLUSK APLYSIA

The actions of the neuromodulator serotonin (5HT) in Aplysia sensory n eurons can be dissociated on the basis of their sensitivity to the 5HT receptor antagonist cyproheptadine, and their concentration requireme nt to 5HT. Here we summarise a series of experiments that suggest that mechanistically distinct processes contribute to the different physio logical components of short- and long-term synaptic plasticity.