Plasticity of the cerebellum

Abstract

Since 1990s, long-term depression of (LTD) at parallel fi ber-Purkinje cell synapses has been regarded as a cellular phenomenon for motor learning. However, parallel fi ber LTD by itself cannot account for motor learning. Here, I review a rich variety of use-dependent plasticity in the cerebellar cortex and nuclei, including long-term potentiation (LTP) and LTD at excitatory and inhibitory synapses, and persistent modulation of intrinsic excitability. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including neuronal excitation, specifi c molecular mechanisms and theta oscillation, and external neuromodulators, are essential to different forms of plasticity.