Malinow, R. (December 1998) Silencing the controversy in LTP? Neuron, 21 (6). pp. 1226-7. ISSN 0896-6273 (Print)
Abstract
Why has there been such long-term controversy (LTC) over the mechanisms underlying long-term potentiation (LTP)? The inability to resolve this debate may have many sources, including intrinsically empirical as well as sociological factors. Certainly, the regulatory mechanisms underlying modification of transmission in the brain are likely to be complex, and the tools we posses are relatively coarse. In this light, the fact that scientists generally are clever enough to think of mechanistic scenarios that cannot be disproved by existing empirical tools complicates the search. Furthermore, the imbalanced impact of positive results over negative results, or the natural bias of scientists to champion their own point of view, can prolong the discourse. Whatever the source, the field of LTP has been mired with LTC to the point that most consider it a long-term tar pit (LTTP). How does one escape eternal fossilization? It can only be hoped that over time different groups, using different techniques and asking questions related to different aspects of synaptic transmission modulation, will provide the cleansing solvent.
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