Control of Ca(2+) Influx and Calmodulin Activation by SK-Channels in Dendritic Spines

The key trigger for Hebbian synaptic plasticity is influx of Ca(2+) into postsynaptic dendritic spines. The magnitude of [Ca(2+)] increase caused by NMDA-receptor (NMDAR) and voltage-gated Ca(2+) -channel (VGCC) activation is thought to determine both the amplitude and direction of synaptic plasticity by differential activation of Ca(2+) -sensitive enzymes such as calmodulin. Ca(2+) influx is negatively regulated by Ca(2+) -activated K(+) channels (SK-channels) which are in turn inhibited by neuromodulators such as acetylcholine. However, the precise mechanisms by which SK-channels control the induction of synaptic plasticity remain unclear. Using a 3-dimensional model of Ca(2+) and calmodulin dynamics within an idealised, but biophysically-plausible, dendritic spine, we show that SK-channels regulate calmodulin activation specifically during neuron-firing patterns associated with induction of spike timing-dependent plasticity. SK-channel activation and the subsequent reduction in Ca(2+) influx through NMDARs and L-type VGCCs results in an order of magnitude decrease in calmodulin (CaM) activation, providing a mechanism for the effective gating of synaptic plasticity induction. This provides a common mechanism for the regulation of synaptic plasticity by neuromodulators.