A groundbreaking study published on April 17, 2025, in the journal Science reveals that individual neurons can utilize multiple synaptic plasticity rules simultaneously, challenging the previous understanding that synaptic changes in the brain are uniform.

Using advanced two-photon imaging, researchers observed synaptic activity in mice during learning tasks, providing insights into how synaptic modifications occur during these processes.

Moreover, the findings suggest potential applications in artificial intelligence, indicating that AI systems could be designed to utilize multiple processing rules, similar to the operational mechanisms of neurons.

The study was supported by several National Institutes of Health grants and aimed at understanding how learned behaviors are shaped by synaptic changes.

This research addresses the 'credit assignment problem' in neuroscience, illustrating how individual synapses can use local information to contribute to broader learning outcomes, akin to ants performing specific tasks without awareness of the colony's goals.

Lead author William 'Jake' Wright emphasizes the health implications of these findings, particularly since many neurological diseases involve synaptic dysfunction.

The insights gained from this study could advance treatments for conditions such as addiction, PTSD, Alzheimer's disease, and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism by enhancing our understanding of synaptic dysfunction.

These implications extend to the development of new treatments for brain disorders and advancements in artificial intelligence systems, highlighting the broad impact of understanding synaptic changes.

The researchers plan to further investigate the advantages of using multiple plasticity rules in neurons and how this impacts learning and behavior.

Senior author Takaki Komiyama highlights that this research fundamentally alters our understanding of neuronal computations, allowing for the application of different rules simultaneously across various compartments of neurons.