Chapter 35
Plasticity

Neural systems coordinate information across vast networks of interconnected cells.
Through electrical and chemical signalling, neurons form dynamic patterns of activity that guide perception, movement, and behaviour.

This chapter explores neural networks as distributed fields of activity where coordinated signalling enables complex biological responses.

Neurons communicate through rapid electrical impulses that travel along specialised cellular structures.
These signals allow information to propagate quickly across neural pathways.

This chapter examines the action potential as the fundamental signalling event that enables long-distance communication within nervous systems.

Connections between neurons are not uniform.
The strength of communication at synapses can vary depending on activity and biological conditions.

This chapter explores synaptic weighting as a mechanism that adjusts the influence of neural connections, shaping how signals propagate through neural networks.

Neurons do not respond to every small signal they receive.
Instead, they integrate incoming inputs and fire only when a threshold condition is reached.

This chapter explores threshold firing as a boundary mechanism that determines when neural signals are transmitted through the network.

Memory arises from lasting changes in neural pathways created by repeated patterns of activity.
Over time, frequently used connections become stabilised within the network.

This chapter explores memory as the reinforcement of neural pathways that preserve patterns of activity across time.