A Model of Dopamine Regulation of Glutamatergic Synapse on Medium size Spiny Neurons

Spiny neurons of striatum receive glutamatergic synapses on dendritic spines on the neck of which project dopaminergic synapses. Dopamine modulates, by D1 type receptors, the glutamatergic synapses by inducing the phosphorylation of AMPA and NMDA receptors which produces an increased amplitude response. Herein we present a model where, in addition to phosphorylation, the direct modulation by dopamine of the spine resistance can cooperate in producing the observed effect on some of these synapses.