Global and local synaptic regulation determine the stability of homeostatic plasticity

Abstract

Neurons regulate the distribution of signaling components across an extended tree-like cellular structure using both local and global feedback control. This is hypothesized to allow homeostatic control of the electrical activity of a neuron and at the same time enable normalization of distribution of inputs received from other cells. The performance and robustness of these mechanisms are poorly understood, and are subject to nonlinearities, making their analysis difficult. Firstly, we formally show that global homeostasis of electrical activity and local activity-dependent degradation can coexist under sufficient timescale separation. The interplay of the two feedback mechanisms is also analyzed through simulations, which reveal a bidirectional effect (stabilizing and destabilizing) of activity-dependent degradation on the overall neuron performance.