$Na^+/Ca^{2+}$ exchanger (NCX)-2, a temporal factor in regulation of synaptic plasticity and cognition

The role of a postsynaptic rise of [C $a^{2+}$]$_{i}$ in the induction of LTP and LTD has been well established. Both the levels and the duration of elevated [C $a^{2+}$]$_{i}$ are important in synaptic plasticity. LTP and LTD could be selectively induced according to intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. Although the specificity of $Ca^{2+}$ signaling can be achieved not only by amplitude but also by the frequency and duration of the calcium transient, the effects of changing amplitudes of $Ca^{2+}$ transients on synaptic plasticity have been extensively documented, but not so the effects of temporal changes.changes..