Abstract
Homeostatic regulation of neuronal excitability refers to the collective phenomena by which neurons alter their intrinsic or synaptic properties to maintain a target level of electrical activity (see Fig. 1 & 2). Many types of homeostatic processes have been observed in neurons in different experimental preparations and contexts. Computationally, homeostatic plasticity is an important means of ensuring stability in network activity and electrical properties of individual units. This article focuses on homeostatic plasticity of single neurons, in particular, the activity-dependent regulation of ion channel densities that determine the intrinsic properties of neurons. The wider field of neuronal homeostasis covers many areas of neurophysiology, including structural plasticity, neurogenesis and cellular homeostasis.
