Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity (STDP)

Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity (STDP) is a biological process that adjusts the strength of connections between neurons based on the timing of their electrical signals, called spikes. If a neuron consistently fires just before another, the connection between them strengthens, reinforcing that pattern (called potentiation). Conversely, if the second neuron fires before the first, the connection weakens (depression). This timing-dependent learning mechanism helps the brain adapt and encode information by strengthening or weakening neural pathways based on activity patterns, playing a key role in learning and memory formation.