Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Table of Contents - 1997 - Volume 20, Issue 04  


Open Peer Commentary
Quartz & Sejnowski: Cognitive development

LTP plays a distinct role in various brain structures

Ken-ichi Hara a1 and Tatsuo Kitajima a2
a1 Faculty of Science and Engineering, Ishinomaki Sensyu University, Ishinomaki, Miyagi, 986 Japan hara@neuron.em.isenshu-u.ac.jp
a2 Faculty of Engineering, Yamagata University, Yonezawa, Yamagata, 992 Japan kitajima@eie.yz.yamagata-u.ac.jp

Abstract

LTP is thought to be an experimental model for studying the cellular mechanism of learning and memory. Shors & Matzel review some contradictory data concerning the linkage between LTP and memory and suggest that LTP does not underlie learning and memory. LTP is a cellular and synaptic process and cannot be a memory mechanism. In fact, it is a cellular information storage mechanism.