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Motoneuron dendrites: role in synaptic integration

  • Chapter
Membranes, Ions, and Impulses

Part of the book series: Faseb Monographs ((FASEBM,volume 5))

Abstract

Dendrites constitute over 80% of the receptive surface area in cat motoneurons. Calculations based on matched electrical and geometrical measurements in these neurons indicate that the specific resistance of dendritic membranes in resting motoneurons is at least 2,000 ohm-cm2. When the specific membrane resistance is this high, even the most distal dendritic synapses can contribute significantly to the depolarization of the soma, and hence influence the rate of action potential generation. However, dendritic membrane resistance depends strongly on the level of background synaptic activity. The conductance changes associated with excitatory synaptic activity on a dendrite can be great enough to reduce significantly both the excitatory synaptic driving potential and the effective membrane resistance on that dendrite, and thus greatly reduce the effectiveness of synapses on that dendrite. Inhibitory synaptic activity produces an even greater reduction in dendritic membrane resistance. Thus the relative effectiveness of dendritic synapses depends on the type, distribution, and intensity of background synaptic activity, as well as on dendritic geometry and resting membrane properties. —Barrett, J. N. Motoneuron dendrites: role in synaptic integration. Federation Proc. 34: 1398–1407, 1975.

Supported by Public Health Service training grant NS 05748 from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Oakdale, Iowa, 52319, USA

    John N. Barrett

  2. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, 33152, USA

    John N. Barrett

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  1. John N. Barrett
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Duke University Medical Center, USA

    John W. Moore

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© 1975 Federation of American Societies

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Barrett, J.N. (1975). Motoneuron dendrites: role in synaptic integration. In: Moore, J.W. (eds) Membranes, Ions, and Impulses. Faseb Monographs, vol 5. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2637-3_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2637-3_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-2639-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-2637-3

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