Problem
Hippocampal pyramidal neurons have extensive apical dendritic arbors that receive thousands of synaptic connections, some of which are ~ 500 um from the action potential trigger zone. Since electronic potentials (such as EPSPs) decay exponentially as a function of distance, describe a potential mechanism that could make these distal synaptic inputs (e.g., 500 m away) equally effective as more proximal inputs (e.g., 50 pm away) in regulating membrane potential at the action potential trigger zone.?