Plateau potentials

Plateau potentials are a type of electrical behaviour seen by cells in the spinal cord. They are of particular importance to spinal motor systems. Potentials are set up by the influence of descending monoaminergic reticulospinal pathways. Activation of dendritic conductances lead to a lasting depolarisation. In this state, the cell fires action potentials independent of synaptic input.

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References

Svirskis et al. (2001) Electrotonic structure of motoneurons in the spinal cord of the turtle: inferences for the mechanisms of bistability. J. Neurophysiol. 85:391-398 (PMID: 11152739)