<p>A bunch of papers I was able to dig up after a cursory search on Google Scholar strongly indicates that heterosynaptic modulation does exist in man, at least in the motor cortex. In these papers the conclusion was reached by using indirect measures, namely by making use of specific stimulation strategies in intact brains in living humans. This as opposed to methods that more directly approach the question, like histology, or single-cell recordings.</p>
<p><sub><strong>References</strong><br />
<strong>-</strong> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6730024/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Hartwig <em>et al</em>., <em>J Neurosci</em> (2004); <strong>24</strong>(13): 3379–85</a><br />
<strong>-</strong> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6665848/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Jung &amp; Ziemann, <em>J Neurosci</em> (2009); <strong>29</strong>(17): 5597–604</a><br />
<strong>-</strong> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6672399/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Nitsche <em>et al</em>., <em>J Neurosci</em> (2007); <strong>27</strong>(14): 3807–12</a><br />
<strong>-</strong> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6608185/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Zhen <em>et al</em>, <em>J Neurosci</em> (2014); <strong>34</strong>(21): 7314–21</a></sub></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-18T12:22:46.370Z
I know that heterosynaptic plasticity exist and it works like this picture: [link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterosynaptic_plasticity#/media/File:Heterosynaptic_Plasticity-1.jpg)  there are a lot of experimental tests show that but it's different with modulatory input-dependent plasticity
alireza
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-17T11:10:07.770Z
2021-01-15T07:24:04.373Z
2021-01-15T07:24:04.373Z
AliceD
<p>I am referring to Eric Kandel and his experiment on <em>Aplysia</em> where he shows that synapses between a pair of neurons can be modulated by means of a third neuron that synapses onto the terminals of the two other neurons. The third neuron doesn't cause post-synaptic firing, but it modulates the activity and strength of the synapse.</p>
<p>This is known as modulatory input-dependent plasticity as depicted in the following pictures. For more information you can refer to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterosynaptic_plasticity#:%7E:text=In%20heterosynaptic%20plasticity%2C%20synaptic%20pathways,those%20who%20are%20specifically%20stimulated." rel="nofollow noreferrer">this</a></p>
<p>My question is whether such synapses exist in the human brain too? If yes, are they abundant, or they are rare in the human brain, and what is their duty in brain?</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/TDJQD.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/TDJQD.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/iIq4C.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/iIq4C.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/mWOjw.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/mWOjw.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-18T14:25:17.947Z
This can be emulated in analog computers to show how ganged signals can be modulated with isolated stimulus. A control could be a group forward gain modulator or a cluster or common activation threshold bias potential or a feedback cumulator of repetitive stmulus. such as in "muscle memory".
Tony Stewart EE75
<neuroscience><neurophysiology><plasticity>
Are there synapses on other neuron terminals in human brain like in Aplysia
alireza
# Are there synapses on other neuron terminals in human brain like in Aplysia

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-08-14)

I am referring to Eric Kandel and his experiment on *Aplysia* where he shows that synapses between a pair of neurons can be modulated by means of a third neuron that synapses onto the terminals of the two other neurons. The third neuron doesn't cause post-synaptic firing, but it modulates the activity and strength of the synapse.

This is known as modulatory input-dependent plasticity as depicted in the following pictures. For more information you can refer to [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterosynaptic_plasticity#:%7E:text=In%20heterosynaptic%20plasticity%2C%20synaptic%20pathways,those%20who%20are%20specifically%20stimulated.)

My question is whether such synapses exist in the human brain too? If yes, are they abundant, or they are rare in the human brain, and what is their duty in brain?

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/TDJQD.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/TDJQD.jpg)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/iIq4C.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/iIq4C.png)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/mWOjw.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/mWOjw.png)

**Tags:** neuroscience, neurophysiology, plasticity

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This can be emulated in analog computers to show how ganged signals can be modulated with isolated stimulus. A control could be a group forward gain modulator or a cluster or common activation threshold bias potential or a feedback cumulator of repetitive stmulus. such as in "muscle memory".  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-08-17. Score: 0

A bunch of papers I was able to dig up after a cursory search on Google Scholar strongly indicates that heterosynaptic modulation does exist in man, at least in the motor cortex. In these papers the conclusion was reached by using indirect measures, namely by making use of specific stimulation strategies in intact brains in living humans. This as opposed to methods that more directly approach the question, like histology, or single-cell recordings.

**References**  
**-** [Hartwig *et al*., *J Neurosci* (2004); **24**(13): 3379–85](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6730024/)  
**-** [Jung & Ziemann, *J Neurosci* (2009); **29**(17): 5597–604](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6665848/)  
**-** [Nitsche *et al*., *J Neurosci* (2007); **27**(14): 3807–12](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6672399/)  
**-** [Zhen *et al*, *J Neurosci* (2014); **34**(21): 7314–21](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6608185/)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I know that heterosynaptic plasticity exist and it works like this picture: [link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterosynaptic_plasticity#/media/File:Heterosynaptic_Plasticity-1.jpg)  there are a lot of experimental tests show that but it's different with modulatory input-dependent plasticity  

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