# Significant anisotropic neuronal refractory period plasticity

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2109.02041 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.02041/

## Key facts

- Cited by 5 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 5 Sep 2021.

## Built on by (most cited first, 5 of 5)

- [Brain inspired neuronal silencing mechanism to enable reliable sequence identification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.13028/) (2022)
- [Learning Mechanism Underlying NLP Pre-Training and Fine-Tuning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.03407/) (2025)
- [Information encoding and decoding in in-vitro neural networks on micro electrode arrays through stimulation timing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.10946/) (2024)
- [Role of Delay in Brain Dynamics](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.11384/) (2024)
- [Optimization of Low-Latency Spiking Neural Networks Utilizing Historical Dynamics of Refractory Periods](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.02960/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Refractory periods are an unavoidable feature of excitable elements, resulting in necessary time-lags for re-excitation. Herein, we measure neuronal absolute refractory periods (ARPs) in synaptic blocked neuronal cultures. In so doing, we show that their duration can be significantly extended by dozens of milliseconds using preceding evoked spikes generated by extracellular stimulations. The ARP increases with the frequency of preceding stimulations, and saturates at the intermittent phase of the neuronal response latency, where a short relative refractory period might appear. Nevertheless, preceding stimulations via a different extracellular route does not affect the ARP. It is also found to be independent of preceding intracellular stimulations. All these features strongly suggest that the anisotropic ARPs originate in neuronal dendrites. The results demonstrate the fast and significant plasticity of the neuronal ARP, depending on the firing activity of its connecting neurons, which is expected to affect network dynamics.