It is only recently that a number of studies on synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus and other brain areas have considered that a heterosynaptic modulatory input could be recruited as well as the coincident firing of pre- and post-synaptic neurons. So far, the strongest evidence for such a regulation has been attributed to dopaminergic (DA) systems but other modulatory pathways have also been considered to influence synaptic plasticity. This review will focus on dopamine contribution to synaptic plasticity in different brain areas (hippocampus, striatum and prefrontal cortex) with, for each region, a few lines on the distribution of DA projections and receptors. New insights into the possible mechanisms underlying these plastic changes will be considered. The contribution of various DA systems in certain forms of learning and memory will be reviewed with recent advances supporting the hypothesis of similar cellular mechanisms underlying DA regulation of synaptic plasticity and memory processes in which the cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA) pathway has a potential role. To summarize, endogenous DA, which depends on the activity patterns of DA midbrain neurons in freely moving animals, appears as a key regulator in specific synaptic changes observed at certain stages of learning and memory and of synaptic plasticity.

中文翻译：

---

多巴胺：潜在的底物，用于突触可塑性和记忆机制。

直到最近，有关海马和其他大脑区域的突触可塑性的许多研究都认为可以招募异突触调节输入，以及突触前和突触后神经元的同时放电。到目前为止，这种调节的最有力证据被归因于多巴胺能（DA）系统，但也已考虑其他调节途径影响突触可塑性。这篇综述将集中于多巴胺对不同大脑区域（海马，纹状体和前额叶皮层）对突触可塑性的贡献，对于每个区域，DA投射和受体的分布有几行。将考虑对这些可塑性变化的潜在机制的新见解。各种DA系统在某些形式的学习和记忆中的作用将得到综述，并有最新进展支持以下假设，即类似DA调控突触可塑性和记忆过程的细胞机制，其中环状单磷酸腺苷/蛋白激酶A（cAMP / PKA）通路具有潜在作用。总而言之，内源性DA依赖于自由活动动物中DA中脑神经元的活动模式，在学习和记忆的某些阶段以及突触可塑性的特定突触变化中起着关键的调节作用。