# The role of short-term synaptic plasticity in sensory processing and behavior

> **NIH NIH R01** · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 2020 · $423,750

## Abstract

Chemical synapses exhibit various forms of short-term plasticity that determine what information they transmit
to downstream circuits. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying this plasticity have been studied
extensively, its consequences for circuit function and behavior are unclear. Here we propose to use the first
olfactory relay of Drosophila as a model to understand the computational and behavioral consequences of
short-term synaptic plasticity. Recently we found that each major synapse type in this circuit exhibits distinct
forms of short-term plasticity. We developed a computational model that relates plasticity at these synapses to
the ability of the circuit to encode fluctuating odor stimuli, such as the odor plumes a fly encounters in the
natural world. In preliminary results, we have shown that we can use genetic manipulations to alter the
dynamics of synaptic transmission at particular synapse types. In addition, we have developed a behavioral
paradigm that allows us to measure behavioral responses to fluctuating odors with high temporal precision.
We will leverage the powerful genetic tools available in Drosophila to manipulate short-term plasticity
specifically at each synapse type in this circuit, and to measure the consequences of these manipulations for
sensory encoding and behavior. We will compare the experimental effects of these manipulations to the
predictions of our computational model. These experiments will allow us to quantitatively assess the
contribution of synaptic processes to sensory coding and behavior, and will provide insight into the effects of
synaptic perturbations in disease states.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9924680
- **Project number:** 5R01MH109690-05
- **Recipient organization:** NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Katherine Nagel
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $423,750
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-07-15 → 2021-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9924680

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9924680, The role of short-term synaptic plasticity in sensory processing and behavior (5R01MH109690-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9924680. Licensed CC0.

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