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Overview

Scientific discussion meeting organised by Professor Cliff Abraham, Professor Tim Bliss FRS, Professor Graham Collingridge CBE FRS and Professor Richard Morris CBE FRS.

The study of long-term potentiation (LTP), a form of synaptic plasticity first described in detail 50 years ago by Bliss and Lomo, has provided major insights into a huge range of brain physiological and pathophysiological processes. The meeting covers the basic molecular mechanisms of LTP, its role in learning and memory, with a particular focus on engrams, and its dysregulation in brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, depression and chronic pain.

The schedule of talks, speaker biographies and abstracts will be available soon. Meeting papers will be published in a future issue of of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B

Poster session

There will be a poster session on Monday 20 November. If you would like to present a poster, please submit your proposed title, abstract (no more than 200 words and in third person), author list, the name of the proposed presenter and institution to the Scientific Programmes team no later than 1 October 2023. Please include the text 'Poster abstract submission' in the email subject line.

Attending this event

This event is intended for researchers in relevant fields.

  • Free to attend
  • Both in person and online attendance available
  • Advance registration is essential 

Enquiries: contact the Scientific Programmes team.

Schedule


Chair

09:00-09:20
Welcome remarks

Abstract

Welcome remarks

Speakers

09:20-09:55
Amyloid β oligomers enhance presynaptic exocytosis via CaV2.1 to drive disease progression in Alzheimer’s models

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

09:55-10:30
Role of glutamate receptor nanoscale dynamic organization in synaptic plasticities

Abstract

TBC

10:30-10:50
Coffee break
10:50-11:10
NMDA receptor STP is nothing short of LLP

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

Professor Arturas Volianskis

Cardiff University

11:10-11:45
TBC

Abstract

TBC

11:45-12:20
TBC

Abstract

TBC

13:30-14:05
Dynamic control of late-phase plasticity and long-term memory via bidirectional signaling between the synapses and the nucleus

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

Professor Hari Bito

University of Tokyo

14:05-14:40
Whisker stimulation induced LTP at individual thalamocortical synapses

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

Dmitri Rusakov

University College London

14:40-15:00
Dendritic voltage imaging reveals biophysical basis of associative plasticity rules

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

Dr Pojeong Park

Harvard University, USA

15:00-15:15
Coffee break
15:15-15:50
Exploring the Mechanisms of Associative Plasticity within and between Hippocampal Areas CA1 and CA2

Abstract

The hippocampus plays an integral role in episodic memory, primarily through neurons in the CA1 subfield. Beyond the well-established canonical circuitry, the CA2 region is implicated in social memory. CA2 neurons also display unique biochemical properties and are more resistant to plasticity. Our earlier studies observed metaplastic effects of neuromodulators that permit plasticity in CA2 neurons.  Notably, there are monosynaptic connections from CA2 that innervate CA1, the functional relevance of which remains relatively unknown. Our study aims to investigate how these CA2-CA1 connections can modulate the maintenance of functional plasticity models, such as long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), within the Schaffer collateral (SC)-CA1 synapses. Subthreshold stimulation of SC-CA1 synapses revealed an early form of LTP (early-LTP) but not the persistent late form (late-LTP). However, when 'primed' by the activation of CA2, SC-CA1 synapses exhibit protein synthesis-dependent late-LTP upon subthreshold stimulation within a temporal window that also promotes associative plasticity, such as synaptic tagging and capture (STC). Moreover, CA2 'priming' does not disrupt the persistence of late forms of LTD when SC-CA1 synapses are stimulated by strong low-frequency stimulation. In fact, weak low-frequency stimulation can promote protein synthesis-dependent late-LTD in CA2-primed SC-CA1 synapses. Lastly, we established a behavioural model wherein social novelty, which activates CA2, can enhance the persistence of CA1-dependent memory via the weak inhibitory avoidance task. Combining a chemogenetics approach with behavioural assays also confirmed the role of CA2 in enhancing CA1-dependent memory. This set of results demonstrates that CA2 connections onto CA1 can influence the synaptic plasticity of CA1, suggesting possible implications for how social behavioral states can modulate the persistence of memory.

Speakers

Associate Professor Saji Kumar Sreedharan

National University of Singapore, Singapore

16:25-17:00
Making memories in mice

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

Professor Sheena Josselyn

Hospital for Sick Children, Canada

15:50-16:25
TBC

Abstract

TBC


Chair

Professor Richard Morris CBE FRS

University of Edinburgh, UK

09:00-09:35
Function of engrams in the idling brain

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

Distinguished Professor Kaoru Inokuchi

University of Toyama, Japan

09:35-10:10
The engram synapse

Abstract

With the advent of diverse molecular, cellular and behavioral tools, it became possible to better understand how memory is acquired and stored precisely in molecular and cellular terms. Combined with the concept of engram, the field of learning and memory has drawn much attention in neuroscience. However, it is not clear how much engram synapses between engram cells in different brain regions contribute to the memory formation. Therefore, we have asked how memory formation strengthens engram synapses between engram cells. In this talk, I will present our recent structural and functional approaches to reveal the dynamic nature of the engram synapses.

Speakers

10:10-10:30
The determinants of memory

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

Dr Dorothy Tse

Edge Hill University, UK

10:30-10:50
Coffee break
10:50-11:10
Plasticity of sensory encoding in cortical neurons

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

Professor Lucy Palmer

Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia

11:10-11:45
Regulating LTP by GRIN1 alternative splicing

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

Professor Michael Salter FRSC

Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto, Canada

11:45-12:20
Cortical LTPs: key synaptic mechanisms for chronic pain and anxiety

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

Professor Min Zhuo FRSC

University of Toronto, Canada

13:30-14:05
Plasticity in the central and peripheral nervous systems and its role in disorders of the brain and the heart

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

Professor Johanna Montgomery

University of Auckland

14:05-14:40
TBC

Abstract

TBC

14:40-15:15
Synaptic plasticity disrupting actions of patient-derived tau and amyloid-ß protein

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

15:15-15:30
Coffee break
15:30-16:05
Neural mechanisms underlying ketamine’s mode of action – Toward a unified theory

Abstract

TBC

16:05-16:40
Neuroplasticity-based neurostimulation for cognitive disorders

Abstract

TBC

Speakers

Professor Tarek Rajji

CAMH and the University of Toronto, Canada

16:40-17:00
General discussion

Abstract

TBC